Saru Posted October 28, 2012 #1 Share Posted October 28, 2012 A graduate student from Massachusetts has developed a method to deflect an asteroid using paintballs. Saving the human race from the threat of an intergalactic asteroid could fall to that staple of office bonding trips and laddish weekends – paintballing. Read more... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPETSNAZ95 Posted October 29, 2012 #2 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Interesting concept. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingAngel Posted October 29, 2012 #3 Share Posted October 29, 2012 And the big event 21/12/2012 will not wait 20 years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ash68 Posted October 29, 2012 #4 Share Posted October 29, 2012 FlyingAngel,don't worry,DFS are having a January sale just after the christmas one,nothing will stop that from happening so we're all safe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikami Posted October 29, 2012 #5 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Boys....we're gonna need alot more paint... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pallidin Posted October 29, 2012 #6 Share Posted October 29, 2012 (edited) Paintballing an asteroid 20 years ahead of time in order to have an effect? That's about the dumbest idea I've heard of. Edit: I'm more for multiple kinetic energy weapons, multiple nuclear missles and such. Edited October 29, 2012 by pallidin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Fluffs Posted October 29, 2012 #7 Share Posted October 29, 2012 I'm great at shooting. Sign me up! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoIverine Posted October 29, 2012 #8 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Paintballing an asteroid 20 years ahead of time in order to have an effect? That's about the dumbest idea I've heard of. Edit: I'm more for multiple kinetic energy weapons, multiple nuclear missles and such. Yea, I was thinking Rail Gun, while actually leaning towards BFG9000. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspie_Dwarf Posted October 29, 2012 #9 Share Posted October 29, 2012 That's about the dumbest idea I've heard of. Nope, here is a REALLY dumb idea: I'm more for multiple kinetic energy weapons, multiple nuclear missles and such. Your idea would almost certainly doom the Earth. It seems highly likely that many asteroids are loose conglomerations of material, bound together by gravity Attacking them in the way you suggest would simply result in the asteroid breaking apart but continuing on the same orbital path. Instead of one impact there would be many, spread around the globe. The paint ball idea, on the other hand, would gradually alter the orbit of the asteroid ensuring that there is no impact at all. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csspwns Posted October 30, 2012 #10 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Nope, here is a REALLY dumb idea: Your idea would almost certainly doom the Earth. It seems highly likely that many asteroids are loose conglomerations of material, bound together by gravity Attacking them in the way you suggest would simply result in the asteroid breaking apart but continuing on the same orbital path. Instead of one impact there would be many, spread around the globe. The paint ball idea, on the other hand, would gradually alter the orbit of the asteroid ensuring that there is no impact at all. but wat if the rail gun eradicates all the atoms on the asteroid so that it wont fall into smaller chunks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaleid Posted October 30, 2012 #11 Share Posted October 30, 2012 (edited) Nope, here is a REALLY dumb idea: Your idea would almost certainly doom the Earth. It seems highly likely that many asteroids are loose conglomerations of material, bound together by gravity Attacking them in the way you suggest would simply result in the asteroid breaking apart but continuing on the same orbital path. Instead of one impact there would be many, spread around the globe. The paint ball idea, on the other hand, would gradually alter the orbit of the asteroid ensuring that there is no impact at all. Isn't the paint ball idea a kind of two-edged sword? Say we put paint on the asteroid, and for some unknown reason it tilts, then isn't it possible that the paint ball effect pushes the asteroid closer to the earth's path instead of further away? Also, I was wondering why one huge impact would be preferable over multiple smaller impacts? I see the problem that the smaller fragments would be spread over a much larger area, and therefore affecting more population. However, I would also figure that a nuke would: Reduce at least a small part of the total kinetic energy Incinerate at least a small part of the mass of the asteroid Disperse at least a small part of the fragments just enough so that they miss earth Create smaller fragments so that at least a small part of them are tiny enough to burn up in the atmosphere Since it is stated everywhere I read that using nukes is not really a valid option, I'm guessing that the cumulated impact of the above is not enough to offset the larger spread of the fragments, but I would love having someone explain that to me. Edited October 30, 2012 by Khaleid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Idano Posted October 30, 2012 #12 Share Posted October 30, 2012 No one has addressed the BIG question...what color paint will be used I'm thinkin grey..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoIverine Posted October 30, 2012 #13 Share Posted October 30, 2012 No one has addressed the BIG question...what color paint will be used I'm thinkin grey..... Anything but pink, if the plan fails, I don't want to be killed by a giant pink asteroid, that just kind of seems wrong on many levels... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pallidin Posted October 30, 2012 #14 Share Posted October 30, 2012 From the article: "...Another NASA alternative is the "kinetic interceptor" which could deflect an asteroid by crashing into it. According to Space.com, a one mile-per-hour impact could divert an asteroid by 170,000miles if hit 20 years before the predicted collision..." I like that idea much better than paintballing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woopypooky Posted October 31, 2012 #15 Share Posted October 31, 2012 do we have ability to manufacture that much paint? that short time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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