Asteroid strikes: Do we need an early-warning system?

Christian Science Monitor

The network the researchers propose, dubbed ATLAS (for the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System), would consist of two observatories roughly 60 miles (100 km) apart that together would scan the visible sky twice a night. Each observatory would house four relatively small telescopes some 10 inches (25 cm) in aperture, as well as a camera for each telescope. The distance between the observatories would provide a way of separating nearby and distant moving objects, and the system would be able to help pinpoint the location and time of an impact to a few miles and a few seconds.

Each telescope and each camera would cost roughly $50,000. The software would take up the lion's share of expenses, bringing the cost for each observatory to $1 million. Tonry also projected $500,000 annually for staff, maintenance and other operating costs. He and his colleagues have submitted a $3 million proposal to NASA to build two observatories and operate them for two years

Considering how we do things now and how wide open vulnerable we are, I'm all for adding this to our defense capabilities. I wouldn't want to replace what we have, but adding ANYTHING would be good at this point. I know it's just a matter of time before something big happens. It would be nice if we could all get together on this thing. Won't happen probably .... but it would be a nice surprise if it did.

I agree, we should have an early warning system.

If all the reported impacts and recorded comet trails we have seen, over the past ten years were missiles, even dud ones from another Country, I'm sure a defense system would be put up straight away.

I made a thread on this subject because an early warning system is the first and only defense against asteroids. Pan- STARRS in Hawaii is active and getting a second telescope on line soon www.abovetopsecret.com...

Not really much use though. unless you happen to have a nuclear bunker in your back yard.

all this will tell you is "YOUR GONNA DIE, MWA HA HA HA"