Jump to content
Join the Unexplained Mysteries community today! It's free and setting up an account only takes a moment.
- Sign In or Create Account -

Nukes could be used to deflect asteroids


UM-Bot

Recommended Posts

NASA is looking in to the possibility of using nuclear weapons to defend Earth against asteroid impacts.

The world's deadliest weapons of mass destruction could one day be used to save the planet - that is at least according to a new deal between NASA and the National Nuclear Security Administration, a branch of the government responsible for enhancing national security through nuclear science.

Read More: http://www.unexplain...flect-asteroids

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Yes, instead of 1 giant asteroid to worry about, we'll only have millions of little radioactive ones to worry about... :innocent:

But it all depends on the composition of said asteroid in the end.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, instead of 1 giant asteroid to worry about, we'll only have millions of little radioactive ones to worry about... :innocent:

But it all depends on the composition of said asteroid in the end.

To be fair, that should not be a problem if you detonate the bomb behind the space rock, causing it to shatter in a cone towards the earth.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Summertime and news a'int easy,

starlets not jumping,

the rumor gulch is dry.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

they have been watching armagedon, they'll be telling us next, that bruce willis will be launching the nukes. cue the dramatic music.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, instead of 1 giant asteroid to worry about, we'll only have millions of little radioactive ones to worry about... :innocent:

Did you actually read the article?

I'm guessing not otherwise you would have read this:

Scientists had previously proposed using a nuclear bomb to blow up an asteroid however the remaining fragments could together prove just as destructive as the original space rock.

A better solution therefore would be to use the nuke to deflect, rather than to destroy the object.

(My emphasis). Edited by Waspie_Dwarf
  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, incoming of a bunch of smaller objects (like a shotgun blast) wouldn't be a very good alternative.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like the idea but we all know rogue nations will be like your going to send a Nuke into Space? Ya **** that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We've already sent nukes into space. http://youtu.be/_AJPpHnBJiY

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All we gotta do is call Harry Stamper and he has it covered!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did you actually read the article?

I'm guessing not otherwise you would have read this:

(My emphasis).

Still there would be a fallout. You would think that since space is a high-radiation environment, there is no reason to fear that fission products that stay in space would do anyone any harm. Unfortunately a significant fraction of fission products released anywhere in Earth's magnetosphere—not just within Earth's atmosphere—will slowly spiral in along magnetic field lines and eventually reach the ground.

Very little gets away, because as long as anything is ionized it will be trapped in the magnetic field and only the neutral atoms escape. Most of the time the sunlight ionizes it and eventually it slides down the field lines into the atmosphere and comes down to the ground. The only way you could avoid this would be to launch over the North Pole where the field lines go straight out, and use very unsymmetrical bombs so you can be sure the debris is going outwards and not inwards. In that way you might be able to cut the contamination down to ten percent.

Back in the day when both the United States and Russia were testing huge bombs in the atmosphere, something like a hundred megatons a year it was calculated that something like a thousand people got killed every year by the bomb tests.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Isn't this idea like 40 years old?

Maybe the government just now decided to work on it, since it's been discussed for decades.

So...... All we need is like a space platform/station with like 100 nukes on it. With all of them pointing OUT, right? None would ever be aimed back down... never ever...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Sounds like a great movie idea

Collision Course: Nuke Vs Asteroid

Sorry I'm not being serious its been a long day

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did you actually read the article?

I'm guessing not otherwise you would have read this:

(My emphasis).

I have actually. The comment was kinda tongue in cheek, but still, it is a risk if it goes wrong.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

that could have a massive back fire on the whole earth and surroundings . and cause more distruction . they just like to keep us on our toes and worry us a little bit . what ever happens will happen :alien::tu:

Edited by lilnat89
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.