Russia May Send Spacecraft to Knock Away Asteroid

[Sundowner]

Looks like the Russians might be going after Apophis.

Regards,
Sun

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: December 30, 2009

Filed at 8:47 a.m. ET

MOSCOW (AP) -- Russia is considering sending a spacecraft to a large asteroid to knock it off its path and prevent a possible collision with Earth, the head of the country's space agency said Wednesday.

Anatoly Perminov said the space agency will hold a meeting soon to assess a mission to Apophis, telling Golos Rossii radio that it would invite NASA, the European Space Agency, the Chinese space agency and others to join the project once it is finalized.

When the 270-meter (885-foot) asteroid was first discovered in 2004, astronomers estimated the chances of it smashing into Earth in its first flyby in 2029 were as high as 1-in-37, but have since lowered their estimate......

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/12/30/world/AP-EU-Russia-Asteroid-Encounter.html?_r=1

[Strip]

Now would be the time....

Even a small gravity tractor would be sufficient to assure no impact especially with this much warning.

Strip

[trax1]

Well even though the odds of it hitting are low, there is a very small window, known as a "keyhole", that the asteroid could pass through on it's first pass in 2029 that would make it hit on it's next pass in 2036, so why even take the risk.

I think another good ides I heard about was attaching a solar sail to the asteroid and the Sun would slowly push it off course.

[Angus]

That means you have to hit it anyway.
I think that has already been done by the way. (Another one)
So, for the effort, just nook the thing

[Dragon]

NOOK IT, get these guys on the phone, quick.

[Saurdaukar]

Well even though the odds of it hitting are low, there is a very small window, known as a "keyhole", that the asteroid could pass through on it's first pass in 2029 that would make it hit on it's next pass in 2036, so why even take the risk.

I forget the actual term for it... "orbital something" but I believe you are correct.

Essentially, I think that imagining water going down a drain pipe in the shower is akin to the genuine concern.  Eventually, the gravitational pull of both objects will bring their respective orbits together; ending in a collision.  I suppose, mathematically, this will be true of all matter in the universe.  

I think we should just send a bunch of oil drillers and that cop from New York.


EDIT:  Orbital Resonance.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

Knowing the russians the project will be a catastriphic failure that will guide the asteroid towards earth not away from it.

[Angus]

Well, the Russians picked up samples from the moon well before Humans were there....
And they're basically promoting this as a project between i.e. "NASA, the European Space Agency, the Chinese space agency and others"
BTW, the biggest H-bomb ever dropped from an aircraft was from the Russkies. The crater was quite something. The biggest man-made explosion was that one.  Nice, 5 miles fireball diameter

And aren't they the biggest launchers (sattellites etc) today??

[MrRiplEy[H]]

Well, the Russians picked up samples from the moon well before Humans were there....
And they're basically promoting this as a project between i.e. "NASA, the European Space Agency, the Chinese space agency and others"
BTW, the biggest H-bomb ever dropped from an aircraft was from the Russkies. The crater was quite something. The biggest man-made explosion was that one.  Nice, 5 miles fireball diameter
(Image removed from quote.)
And aren't they the biggest launchers (sattellites etc) today??

Lol if you knew their track record..

[Raptor]

And aren't they the biggest launchers (sattellites etc) today??

I believe Brazil is. They have an unmanned satellite launching program so it is much easier to put satellites in orbit than with manned crews.

[trax1]

I believe Brazil is. They have an unmanned satellite launching program so it is much easier to put satellites in orbit than with manned crews.

Well we have unmanned satellite launching programs too, in fact a majority of the satellites we put in orbit is done with unmanned launchers.

[Strip]

Manned missions represent less than 1% of all space flights.....

[AirFlyer]

Well, the Russians picked up samples from the moon well before Humans were there....
And they're basically promoting this as a project between i.e. "NASA, the European Space Agency, the Chinese space agency and others"
BTW, the biggest H-bomb ever dropped from an aircraft was from the Russkies. The crater was quite something. The biggest man-made explosion was that one.  Nice, 5 miles fireball diameter
(Image removed from quote.)
And aren't they the biggest launchers (sattellites etc) today??

Wasn't that a 100 megaton bomb?

[Vulcan]

Whats the asteroid composed of, would it be worth mining?

[BoilerDown]

While its almost certainly unnecessary, we (as a species) will learn a lot by trying.  It'll be good to see the Russians take the lead on this, since Nasa doesn't have the funding to attempt it themselves.  I hope they get the international support they need to get it off the ground.