Researchers to crash probe into an asteroid

[Anomalocaris]

Researchers to crash probe into an asteroid to try and alter its course

Scientists are to attempt to nudge an asteroid out of its orbital path in a practice run for saving the world.

The joint US-European Aida (Asteroid Deflection & Assessment) mission will crash a probe into the smaller of a pair of binary asteroids to see if the object's path can be altered.

Although the egg-shaped target, known as 'Didymoon', is only 160 metres (525ft) wide, the test will show if in principle a much larger asteroid threatening to wipe out human civilisation can be deflected the same way.

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Edited September 30, 2015 by Anomalocaris

[Iron_Lotus]

is a probe really going to change a 160 meter hunk of rocks trajectory at all? what we really need is bruce willis and ben affleck and a giant nuclear warhead.

[toast]

is a probe really going to change a 160 meter hunk of rocks trajectory at all? what we really need is bruce willis and ben affleck and

a giant nuclear warhead.

And very attractive female astronauts in very tight space suits.

Edited September 30, 2015 by toast

[bmk1245]

is a probe really going to change a 160 meter hunk of rocks trajectory at all? what we really need is bruce willis and ben affleck and a giant nuclear warhead.

Slightest orbit alterations can make huge difference when we are talking about distances of millions of miles...

[Iron_Lotus]

Slightest orbit alterations can make huge difference when we are talking about distances of millions of miles...

REALLY!? wow! im well aware of that and thats not really what i asked anyways.

now wheres bruce willis and ben affleck at?

[Taun]

And very attractive female astronauts in very tight space suits.

It kept Earth safe in the 1970's, I don't see why it wouldn't now...

[bmk1245]

REALLY!? wow! im well aware of that and thats not really what i asked anyways.

[...]

Ah, crap... My bad...

[Iron_Lotus]

Ah, crap... My bad...

don't mention it, my question was more along the lines of me wondering if a probe could even affect an asteroid trajectory something that size with that kind of mass and traveling at the speeds it does if you were to smash a probe into it i just have a funny feeling its going to plow right through it like a pop can and keep going about its merry way. now i know if it were to even shift it a fraction of a fraction of a inch it would change big time as it continues moving. i also realize that you never know until you try so obviously if the probe hit and nothing happens its still information and data, at that point though we might as well send some deep sea oil riggers and duct tape steve buscemi to a chair and send them off instead

[theotherguy]

Let's hope they don't mess up and send Didymoon hurtling straight toward the Earth. It wouldn't make a big impact, but I worry that the Nibiruists will have a field day with it.

[+DieChecker]

Ah, the one they want to hit is the "moon". Didymos is the larger 800m wide asteroid, and "Didymoon" is the smaller one of the binary.

If the asteroid is egg shaped and 160 meters long, and 120 meters wide. And roughly is 1.7 g/cm^3 (1700 kg/m^3) in density. Then it will have a volume of about 10 million cubic meters, and weight about 16 billion kg, or about 18 million US tons.

And then the spacecraft is going to be, what, about 200 kg max? So that is a ratio of 80 million to one.

So as long as we hit an asteroid far enough away, it should move a couple millionths toward the side. Also depends on how fast you hit it, as to how much energy is exchanged.

Should be really cool video to watch anyway.

[Iron_Lotus]

Ah, the one they want to hit is the "moon". Didymos is the larger 800m wide asteroid, and "Didymoon" is the smaller one of the binary.

If the asteroid is egg shaped and 160 meters long, and 120 meters wide. And roughly is 1.7 g/cm^3 (1700 kg/m^3) in density. Then it will have a volume of about 10 million cubic meters, and weight about 16 billion kg, or about 18 million US tons.

And then the spacecraft is going to be, what, about 200 kg max? So that is a ratio of 80 million to one.

So as long as we hit an asteroid far enough away, it should move a couple millionths toward the side. Also depends on how fast you hit it, as to how much energy is exchanged.

Should be really cool video to watch anyway.

awesome post die appreciate it man

[paperdyer]

REALLY!? wow! im well aware of that and thats not really what i asked anyways.

now wheres bruce willis and ben affleck at?

Bruce is off somewhere. Ben is playing Batman right now with Superman. Maybe Supes can save the day!

[Iron_Lotus]

Bruce is off somewhere. Ben is playing Batman right now with Superman. Maybe Supes can save the day!

well based off supes last movie he would have no problem pulverizing the asteroid into dust