Smith: Asteroid, Meteor Stark Reminders of Need to Invest in Space Science

Smith: Asteroid, Meteor Stark Reminders of Need to Invest in Space Science

science.house.gov

Washington, D.C. — Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today released the following statement after reports of an unforeseen meteor exploding in the sky above Russia early this morning, on the same day that a large asteroid is scheduled to pass relatively close to Earth.

Chairman Smith: “Today’s events are a stark reminder of the need to invest in space science".

(visit the link for the full news article)



Related AboveTopSecret.com Discussion Threads:
Meteorite Crashes in Russia
Huge Asteroid To Skim Past Earth At 18,641mph (TODAY!)

Well no time like the present. I'm once again reminded of the line in the movie Armageddon:

President: We didn't see this thing coming?
Dan: Well, our object collision budget's a million dollars. That allows us to track about 3% of the sky, and beg'n your pardon sir, but it's a big-ass sky.

From the article:

“Developing technology and research that enable us to track objects like Asteroid 2012 DA14 is critical to our future. We should continue to invest in systems that identify threatening asteroids and develop contingencies, if needed, to change the course of an asteroid headed toward Earth."

Develop? Oh you have contingencies I'm sure. However, from a fight or flight stand-point, I have a feeling the current contingencies are more in the "flight" category.

Where "flight" is going underground and hoping you dug the bunker deep enough to not be affected by the impact and that your provisions will outlast the resulting nuclear winter.

Yeah, how about we start developing some "fight" contingencies so "We the People" may have a chance too?

All speculative of course, but you know, this is ATS

science.house.gov
(visit the link for the full news article)

Certainly fits into Werner Von Braun's synopsis about the weaponization of space for the purpose of subjugating the human race by the global elites.
www.youtube.com...

I guess bluebeam is getting closer....

I do believe the tech is there and being used,but only as a need to know basis.
It's all at the discretion of who ever is in control of that info.

Based on US's military expenditure and deployment of uranium all over the mideast,

it looks more like the mideast is more its concern, than the homeland nor the homeplanet.

reply to post by kdog1982


My sensible side would concur with you and if there was a legitimate threat I doubt we would know what the tech consisted of to terminate, that of which we didn't know they had, which was used to thwart a threat, that we likely wouldn't be told was there any way.

However, the conspiracy side of me tends to tangent off into thoughts that are well...yeah...preaching to most of the ATS choir I'm sure lol.

Yes we do far too long some people have their heads wrapped around social engineering instead of rocket engineering.

The aerospace industry could be responsible for a mutlitude of new technologies all producing wealth,all producing jobs that could finally get us off this rock,.

If the status quo is kept we as a species are doomed.

Originally posted by neo96
Yes we do far too long some people have their heads wrapped around social engineering instead of rocket engineering.

The aerospace industry could be responsible for a mutlitude of new technologies all producing wealth,all producing jobs that could finally get us off this rock,.

If the status quo is kept we as a species are doomed.

The majority is doomed,the few will survive hopefully the better end of the gene pool.

Hey - give me a telescope and a sector of the sky.

My disabled arse would love to sit behind a telescope and have free reign to keep my eyes in space.

It's a big sky right? Why not put unemployed people to work, or give people with disabilities, and opportunity to fill a market in need!!!

Cirque

I guess in the end, it always boil down to money, or the lack of it.

Creating such systems will not be cheap, as will as the maintenance and the labor for it.

We can simply ignore the threat, of an annual 100ton debris falling on Earth, hoping for the best, or find cheaper but efficient practical ways to deal with it.

Currently, Norad, Nasa and other space observation installations in richer or insecure nations electronically track the globe daily for rocket launches, satellites and high altitude aircrafts. Big rocks can be tracked as well, but unfortunately, it is the 10ton rocks that can level 6 cities at one go that cannot currently be tracked.

Our space rock threat is thus not big rocks, but the small and fast untrackable ones such as those which hit Siberia few days ago.

Perhaps, universities around the world can try to get their science students to come with ideas on how to deal with those small tracks. I am sure out of the many thousands of graduating students, some of them are bound to have a brilliant idea of 2 for some cheap and effective measures.

Anway, its time we look towards space for resources, as at the rate of our consumption, pretty soon resources will be far costly to mine on Earth, and planets/asteroids may be cheaper, the way expensive oil had lead to fracking being a cheaper alternative.

And the best place to look for ideas are from our young, whom are free from funding worries that researchers often have to face, as University fundings comes from both the govt/People and charitable organisations, which can be put to good use rather than to repeat experiments or studies just to get a degree or Phd. At least that would be a direction that has more relavance for mankind.

We have lots of technology up in the satellite belt with the capability to look all around...but sadly all that "lookie-look" technology is facing down to the planet to look for insurgents and freedom loving patriots rather than focusing "outward" for threats and discovery...

oh well....

reply to post by Jeremiah65


I guess we have to be pragmatic about it all and look at it in totality. We aren't living in disneyland, at least not yet. There are many threats to mankind, with many ways to deal with it. Space based assets are one way besides other non-tech ways.

It is just that with the Siberian experience, we mankind woke up to the reality of one more threat - untrackable small space rocks that can level cities, and we do need to deal with that too. Living on Earth with a higher standard of life and security just got a tad more expensive.

It needs creative minds now to see how we can mitigate those costs as low as possible so that all may enjoy better standards of living and security.

Originally posted by CirqueDeTruth
Hey - give me a telescope and a sector of the sky.

My disabled arse would love to sit behind a telescope and have free reign to keep my eyes in space.

It's a big sky right? Why not put unemployed people to work, or give people with disabilities, and opportunity to fill a market in need!!!

Cirque

No offense to you, but how would we know you're not busy playing farmville or checking your Facebook status when you should be watching your "sector"?

We really need more scientists working on this.

reply to post by SeekerofTruth101


I'm not going to disagree with you on the idea or the notion. Progress costs money...or so they tell us anyway. I sometimes look back across history at the marvelous and wonderful things mankind did and wonder 'who paid for that and how?" Just look at the medieval cathedrals, the grand castles, the Roman roads and coliseums...all would cost unbelievable amounts of money if we tried to duplicate them today.

The point being...where there is a will, there is a way...but apparently the people with the capability to make these things happen are not interested in spending the money to do it.

On top of that, over the last few decades, we have become aware of a whole basket full of possible "ELE"'s. Asteroid strikes, super volcanoes, mega earthquakes, disease, climate caused famine...all have happened before and will undoubtedly happen again.

It comes down to this...are we as a species prepared to do whatever it takes (read as "whatever it costs") to insure our species survival or not?. It's a simple question but probably has an ugly answer...

How do we defend against massive projectiles moving in excess of Mach 15?

Nukes just fracture them up and are way to slow to be effective.

Lazers and particle beams don't yet have the power to do much either.

Solar sails, well again way to slow, you would need many months if not years to prepare a mission.

Lets face it we need antimatter capabilities and a faster delivery system to stand any chance against these things.

reply to post by andy06shake


Well if we were to invest money towards these objectives instead of better ways to kill a "terrorist" who may or may not be an actual terrorist, maybe our technology wouldn't be so lacking. It all comes down to priorities and the people with all the power and money have them in the wrong place.

Nothing gonna happen. We as a specie are too stupid to do the right thing.
I almost sure we go extinct not in far future. Good luck to next species that will come after us

reply to post by Krazysh0t


Im with you on that score mate. All the way!

Your preaching to the quire!

Originally posted by defuntion

Originally posted by CirqueDeTruth
Hey - give me a telescope and a sector of the sky.

My disabled arse would love to sit behind a telescope and have free reign to keep my eyes in space.

It's a big sky right? Why not put unemployed people to work, or give people with disabilities, and opportunity to fill a market in need!!!

Cirque

No offense to you, but how would WE know you're not busy playing farmville or checking your Facebook status when you should be watching your "sector"?

We really need more scientists working on this.

WE ?

Originally posted by Taggart

Originally posted by defuntion

Originally posted by CirqueDeTruth
Hey - give me a telescope and a sector of the sky.

My disabled arse would love to sit behind a telescope and have free reign to keep my eyes in space.

It's a big sky right? Why not put unemployed people to work, or give people with disabilities, and opportunity to fill a market in need!!!

Cirque

No offense to you, but how would WE know you're not busy playing farmville or checking your Facebook status when you should be watching your "sector"?

We really need more scientists working on this.

WE ?

The rest of planet that would pay for the salary of these human sky watchers. Sorry but I would never trust just human beings watching the sky with a telescope. I want machines to that kind of boring job.