Russia Considers Rocket to Deflect Asteroid Apophis 2029

Did somebody say 2029?

reply to post by Wertdagf


Excellent book. I have it on my shelf and the sequel Eternity and the prequel Legacy.

Greg Bear is one of my favorite authors.

I believe the writer of The Matrix probably got his idea for the Matrix from the ghosts in the original Eon.

OP, just have to say I agree with a few that this may just may be a distraction from recent events.

And the others mentioning deflecting to Earth just as much a possibility.

And nukes have no effect in no atmosphere, it would just be a huge radiation bomb. I believe someone mentioned that also.

Originally posted by endisnighe
And nukes have no effect in no atmosphere, it would just be a huge radiation bomb. I believe someone mentioned that also.

I don't know where you get that. Nuclear weapons do what they do in spite of the atmosphere. The detonation of fissionable material alone can vaporize solid steel structures to a radius of about a half mile from the blast center.

And you're telling me that atmosphere is required to achieve that effect?

Pardon, but no way.

— Doc Velocity






[edit on 12/30/2009 by Doc Velocity]

Originally posted by traditionaldrummer
Come on now people. This is ATS. Certainly the race of benevolent aliens amongst us must know of this renegade rock and will save us all.

Why in the world (pun intended) would they want to save our asses?

Even if the missile *needed* to be in the middle section of the asteroid, Why not create a flight pattern to a specified spot on the asteroid, and have a mining drill set-up built into the rocket? I have seen patents for drills that melt rock/Earth metals using laser technology. Why not implement this? Or something like it, either way this asteroid should be the least of our worries right now, unless it picks up more debris along the way. This is merely an agent of distraction and fear.

[edit on 30-12-2009 by Paradox.]

Originally posted by Aliensun
Why in the world (pun intended) would [aliens] want to save our asses?

Really. I haven't seen any evidence that UFOs or their occupants are particularly benevolent.

I'm inclined to think that UFOs are here as spectators to watch us destroy ourselves — they probably sell tickets and fly their tourists out here for a good laugh.

When the last day arrives on Earth, I wouldn't be surprised if the aliens erected bleachers on the Moon and brought in crowds of alien spectators, sold the spectacle on their version of Pay-Per-View.

— Doc Velocity

reply to post by Doc Velocity


I may have mispoken, I did not go as far in Engineering as I would have liked. Yes the heat propagated by a Nuke is astronomical but the only tests have been performed in our atmosphere.

I am assuming any explosion in space would have to be backed by some type of material to carry the force.

In the atmosphere the heat is propagated by the heating of the air.

I may be making some assumptions, might need someone more knowledgeable in thermodynamics and space.

Just like how you can hold a fire cracker in your fingertips and you get black and blue fingertips. Than take that same firecracker and hold it in your fist. You pull back a stub.

Meaning the medium the explosion is contained in, will help transmit that force more efficiently.

I am open to my interpretation of my theory.

Originally posted by JIMC5499
The problem with nuking the asteroid is that there is no air in space. The majority of the damage in any explosion is the shock wave moving a wall of compressed air before it. Unless you can get the nuke inside the asteroid it is going to have very little effect.

That would be true if a conventional bomb designed for atmospherric use was the weapon of choice. But that nuclear space blast aspect has already been dealt with. You simply provide a blast fuel. Something within close proximity to the explosion that is given blast energy, even when vaporized, that then acts as would particles in an atmosphere. An excellent book on using thermonuclear bombs to propell a space ship directly from Earth is Project Orion by George Dyson. The actual history and death of that project back in the fifties!

The asteroid will make many passes before it can be fully discerned what its orbit will be on that far off day in the future for a possible collision. From the stance today, a slow nudging by along-lasting ion engine may be the best solution.

[edit on 30-12-2009 by Aliensun]

reply to post by Aliensun


See, now I know somewhere to do the research.

Thanks for that info.

this is coming from Pravda though..

So a grain of salt is needed here, Take some facts, and jumble them together and you get a Pravda story. And I think we all know Pravda has some doosies

reply to post by Doc Velocity


Its something robots can't do. Think and change course on a dime. humans can do that. Robots can pave the way, but whats the point if, in the end, all we do is just stay down here in the cradle. Eventually we get to big for the Cradle and have to get a bed.

I think this scientist has a good idea, but you failed to get my point. We are heading into space. Yea, its going to take time, but few in the industry are thinking long term. We are going to need resources when we go out there. What better way to hook onto this guys proposal and get this rock into orbit. Lets practice with this asteroid. Lets use it to get the idea of what its made of and how to use it for our benefit.

Originally posted by endisnighe
but the only tests have been performed in our atmosphere.

The United States conducted quite a number of exoatmospheric nuclear weapons tests starting in 1958, I believe, and ending in 1962. The highest altitude was nearly 350 miles, well above the typical Space Shuttle orbit altitude.

Nuclear Weapons Space Test

Pretty impressive. The apparent blasts were even larger in microgravity than they appear on Earth's surface.


— Doc Velocity

Originally posted by sirbikesalot06
[Its something robots can't do. Think and change course on a dime. humans can do that.

We're a lot closer to developing intelligent, self-governing robots than we are to colonizing a planetary body.

My point is, by the time a human crew reaches Mars, for example, they're going to be too weak and frail to construct and maintain a self-sustaining colony. The logical course of action is to send self-governing robots in advance to construct a fully-functional Mars colony.

Then send your human crew much later and allow them to recuperate when they reach Mars. The hard labor will already be finished by robots.

— Doc Velocity




[edit on 12/30/2009 by Doc Velocity]

reply to post by MaxBlack


About a week ago there was a public request from Russia to share technology ...or rather for the USA to share technology with them...now, they say they want to save the world by eliminating Apaphos...requesting USA and other countries to meet and share strategy (technology) for saving the planet.

According to recent sources the asteroid has minimal chance of hitting earth...

Does anyone smell a rat here?

reply to post by drphilxr


Majestic 12 can handle any asteroid right now.
Tell Putin thanks but no thanks.

Smack the back end of it with a drilling bore and some solar sails that can be expanded, contracted and collapsed if need be.

If the concern is 1. don't know how well it can be broken up 2. can't predict if the nudge will make things worse 3. multiple pieces might be a bigger diaster with more chaos.

How about not break it, and not nudging it. How about being sure it won't hit Earth - because you shoved it into Mars or Venus? No concerns then. You know it isn't going to chaotically swing back around.

Japan should build a Gundam Wing so they can chop that ho with a plasma sword or a giant laser cannon.

(If you're gonna spend money, go all out.) Then self destruct the GW so that no one else can have it. That or keep it on standby on another planet for space wars. Then start another Earth war to pay for it. Life as a human is a very fortunate thing. No you didn't detect sarcasm.

I seen this thing a while back on History Channel where they could possibly use large Solar sails to divert it over time. 20 years away and moving it a few feet would drastically change its direction. What would happen if something of that size hit the sun? nothing? More fuel to make it hotter?

Meh, I prefer an asteroid impact into the Pacific Ocean causing a tsunami and hurricane killing 100 million people.

Originally posted by way2slo
I seen this thing a while back on History Channel where they could possibly use large Solar sails to divert it over time. 20 years away and moving it a few feet would drastically change its direction. What would happen if something of that size hit the sun? nothing? More fuel to make it hotter?

You could probably smash Mercury into the Sun and never notice a thing.