UN takes action on possible killer asteroids

The UN has drafted a treaty on what should be done, in case a asteroid is going hit Earth. At eh moment, NASA is monitoring 127 asteroids on a possible hit collisions (or near-Earth objects). The UN has decided to take action in case of such a catastrophe and is still deciding in who would be in charge (like who would pay for relief efforts and the policies that should be adopted).



This is quite a surprise isn't it? 127 asteroids on a (possible) collision course with Earth... sounds really reassuring for the near future.

Looks like the movies (Armageddon and Deep impact, the ones I remember about asteroids almost hitting Earth) is going to be a reality. Instead of (future) movies about heroes saving Earth from asteroids, its going to be documentaries.

What do you people think? Will one of those 127 asteroids hit us in the near future?

My bet is that an asteroid with a high probability of striking the earth has already been identified by NASA and that a plan to redirect or otherwise mitigate the results of a hit are already well underway. Most likely Russia, China and the EU governments have been made aware of the threat long ago. And I'm pretty sure the rest of us know exactly who is footing the bill now and in the future, however long our wait for this event may be. The folks at the UN are creating a fuss because they don't think it's right that they aren't getting a fair opportunity to rip off any money and are trying to grandstand their way to the loot.

Many folks in the US should be quite thrilled about the prospects of this occurring, it would give them the opportunity they have always dreamed about. They will finally be able to live by their own skill and wits, free from all of that modern day socialist government intervention into their lives. Perhaps folks with this mindset can persuade NASA to stop all attempts to identify and influence NEO's.





[edit on 17-2-2007 by df1]

Sounds like you’re a bit new to the NEO deal, So here is the Nasa Neo Home page, for current risked impacts:

Nasa Neo Risks

Personally I think this one will hit in April 2029, it will come closer to the earth then our geosynchronous satellites, even though they claim it wont hit:

2004 MN4 on 13 April 2029

Oh, Wait when did this one come up…
Wow, they snuck this one in on us, didn’t they:
2007 CA19 14 March 2012

WOW 2012 and its 0.990 km, that is big enough to be a world changer…
Maybe this is what lit the sudden fire under their collective buttocks, hm?

Ok, it's about a kilometer wide... but it has a 0.00014% chance of collision. I wouldnt worry about it... I'd be worrying about the geosyncronous sattelites it's going to knock from orbit with its gravitational wake... just dont get lost on that day, cause your GPS unit's going to tell you youre in a hotel... not the middle of the sahara.

[edit on 17-2-2007 by johnsky]

Given their track history, it will probably take the UN so Long to debate what to do that the asteroid will end up hitting the UN building before a decision is reached. I'm sure there are some pretty rough plans to prevent a major impact that we manage to see in advance, it's the one we won't see that will hit us.

Originally posted by defcon5
2004 MN4 on 13 April 2029

Oh, Wait when did this one come up…
Wow, they snuck this one in on us, didn’t they:
2007 CA19 14 March 2012

WOW 2012 and its 0.990 km, that is big enough to be a world changer…
Maybe this is what lit the sudden fire under their collective buttocks, hm?

Looks like the next thing they're going to tell us, is there is an asteroid the size of our moon that might hit in 2008/2009.

NASA tries to predict hits/misses, but asteroids never stays on the same route. Everytime they look it changes its course (not by much, 1 degree in any direction is already a huge angle, when it comes to predicting something) and they must make a new prediction.

Looks like the News' weather predictions and NASA's NEO predictions have something in common.

This one has a one in a million chance of hitting Earth starting in 2009, but those odds aren't until around 2015 -- yet the odds they produce are cumulative:

neo.jpl.nasa.gov...

Also, the NASA NEO page has an update ('07) about what they're thinking of doing to throw objects off-course:

neo.jpl.nasa.gov...

* Nuclear standoff explosions are assessed to be 10-100 times more effective than the non-nuclear alternatives analyzed in this study....

* Non-nuclear kinetic impactors are the most mature approach and could be used in some deflection/mitigation scenarios...

* "Slow push" mitigation techniques are the most expensive, have the lowest level of technical readiness, and their ability to both travel to and divert a threatening NEO would be limited unless mission durations of many years to decades are possible.

* 30-80 percent of potentially hazardous NEOs are in orbits that are beyond the capability of current or planned launch systems....

Also, here's the 28pg (PDF) report to Congress page NASA gave in March of 2007. www.nasa.gov...

[edit on 14-11-2007 by anhinga]

reply to post by The_unraveller

Eaarth scientist cannot predict properly directions of bodies in relations to Earth until they realize that space is not a void it is more of an ocean with waves and motions and living organisms. Earth scientist cannot properly predict what a space wave or swell will guide change the body direction of travel. I am apologize for not explaining better. Look to the South of Earth many Earth scientist watch space body from there to impact Earth soon. I am saddened. Put on your Tin hat it has begun.

I guess the UN response would be to issue a press release rebuking the asteroid for it's intended path of destruction. This would be followed up by a working group to discuss an even harsher press release and the bribing of several tiny nations with grants to get them to join a coalition of the rather annoyed in endorsing an even harsher press release.