Here's why NASA is ramming a spacecraft into an asteroid

[Cosmik Debris]

Which you have clearly intentionally gotten wrong... Tracking objects in earth orbit is orders or magnitude easier and cheaper than tracking objects in the wider solar system, some of which have long period orbits originating in the Oort cloud.

Then you need to elucidate your argument to include the Oort cloud and comets. No comet is detectable until close enough to earth for the sun to vaporise the frozen constituents...

 

[WollieVerstege]

“You’re talking about something the size of a golf cart running into something the size of a stadium,” Chabot said. “So you can see that this is all about a small nudge.”

But NASA thinks that’s all that will be needed to do the trick. That’s because, over time and distance, the tiny change in trajectory will multiply many fold, enough to ensure the huge space rock would, were Earth in its path, whiz safely by.

The two-asteroid system will help scientists measure the nudge DART gives Dimorphos. From Earth, they’ll be able to calculate how Dimorphos’ orbit around Didymos changes over time.

Right now, the asteroid takes nearly 12 hours to complete one orbit, but it’s possible DART could change that by several minutes.

NASA to ram spacecraft into asteroid – Here’s why

A robotic NASA spacecraft is programmed to ram itself into a distant asteroid at 14,000 miles per hour (25,500 kilometers per hour) in deep space to demonstrate the agency’s future ability to defend Earth from hazardous space rocks.

mybroadband.co.za

That not what that means.

When NASA says they think something is going to happen it does not mean they thumb-sucked something while standing in the shower this morning, it means they have run the calculations and based on that the most likely outcome is X and Y. Science 101 really.

They cannot say X will happen or Y is the absolute outcome, because there are to many variables in space.

 

[Moosedrool]

Well, he thinks it will be a head on collision, which makes absolutely no sense what so ever. At best the impact will be perpendicular.

It doesn't really matter. Nasa chooses these based on the vector they want and the most efficient and effective deflection will be their go to. Within their means of actually getting the satellite moving in the direction and velocity they want though. Head on doesn't really exist in relative velocities. Head on in a orbiting rock means head on relative to its movement direction around a planet.

I also heard this experiment is in the opposite direction of its orbit (head on) since they only want to slow it down and see how much its orbit change aligns with their predictions.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Check out @Cray posts...

Nope, quote the exact posts please.

 

[Pitbull]

“You’re talking about something the size of a golf cart running into something the size of a stadium,” Chabot said. “So you can see that this is all about a small nudge.”

But NASA thinks that’s all that will be needed to do the trick. That’s because, over time and distance, the tiny change in trajectory will multiply many fold, enough to ensure the huge space rock would, were Earth in its path, whiz safely by.

The two-asteroid system will help scientists measure the nudge DART gives Dimorphos. From Earth, they’ll be able to calculate how Dimorphos’ orbit around Didymos changes over time.

Right now, the asteroid takes nearly 12 hours to complete one orbit, but it’s possible DART could change that by several minutes.

NASA to ram spacecraft into asteroid – Here’s why

A robotic NASA spacecraft is programmed to ram itself into a distant asteroid at 14,000 miles per hour (25,500 kilometers per hour) in deep space to demonstrate the agency’s future ability to defend Earth from hazardous space rocks.

mybroadband.co.za

Not at all, not saying anything. I am however of the opinion and any and every outcome of this would have been theorized and tested amoung peers for they decided let's launch a multi million dollar object at a rock and watch the fireworks xD

 

[Pitbull]

Prove me wrong then.

I don't have to prove to an Orange that it's an Orange...

I have no dog in this fight, just here for the comdey gold

 

[Cosmik Debris]

Not at all, not saying anything. I am however of the opinion and any and every outcome of this would have been theorized and tested amoung peers for they decided let's launch a multi million dollar object at a rock and watch the fireworks xD

That was not the context of the thread till today. Probability was the context earlier.

 

[Pitbull]

That was not the context of the thread till today. Probability was the context earlier.

All said and done, I'm confident the smart people who have studied this field for most of their lives would not have attempted this without looking at all the variables. At worst, this does nothing to the trajectory but they will have enough data to know what to do in a real threat. Best case scenario they get a big enough deflection and have the data as to what will be needed in comparison to mass to be able to defelct one which is a real threat. All power to them!

 

[surface]

Orbital Mechanics for Engineering Students,

http://www.nssc.ac.cn/wxzygx/weixin/201607/P020160718380095698873.pdf

a 600-page book yet Cosmik reckons that it can all be explained by F = ma.

Not many know but he wrote that book as a ghost writer. I suspect he wrote it just after he was awarded victoria cross as he was recovering in hospital from his injuries in ME. Then, he got bored and went into a successful commercial farming career.

 

[ForceFate]

Not many know but he wrote that book as a ghost writer. I suspect he wrote it just after he was awarded victoria cross as he was recovering in hospital from his injuries in ME. Then, he got bored and went into a successful commercial farming career.

MYBB...don't forget to acknowledge help you got here when you finally complete your PhD.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Not many know but he wrote that book as a ghost writer. I suspect he wrote it just after he was awarded victoria cross as he was recovering in hospital from his injuries in ME. Then, he got bored and went into a successful commercial farming career.

You forgot he rebuilt Angolas oil rigs single handedly.

 

[RonSwanson]

The difference is the risk profile though. The extremely unlikely event with maximal consequences for the most people should surely be at the very least considered and planned against vs. the extremely unlikely event with minimal consequences. Having a vault doesn't really matter either way, being able to deflect a possible extinction event seems like it matters a whole lot more.

As per Schneier, we suck bigtime when estimating estimating risks that are very rare:

Our brains are much better at processing the simple risks we’ve had to deal with throughout most of our species’ existence, and much poorer at evaluating the complex risks society forces us face today.

Novelty plus dread equals overreaction.

We can see the effects of this all the time. We fear being murdered, kidnapped, raped and assaulted by strangers, when it’s far more likely that the perpetrator of such offenses is a relative or a friend. We worry about airplane crashes and rampaging shooters instead of automobile crashes and domestic violence—both far more common.

 

[surface]

You forgot he rebuilt Angolas oil rigs single handedly.

I didn't forget. I really didn't know this. What a man. Can mybb not give out a medal in his honor ?

 

[Cosmik Debris]

Not many know but he wrote that book as a ghost writer. I suspect he wrote it just after he was awarded victoria cross as he was recovering in hospital from his injuries in ME. Then, he got bored and went into a successful commercial farming career.

Actually, it was written by a Dalit sitting on your toilet in India. Would that have been possible?

 

[Cosmik Debris]

I didn't forget. I really didn't know this. What a man. Can mybb not give out a medal in his honor ?

Maybe you could get a medal for showing India what a toilet is?

 

[ScottulusMaximus]

For fun!


... and science

 

[Cosmik Debris]

As per Schneier, we suck bigtime when estimating estimating risks that are very rare:

I didn't want to go near risk management. The reason I argued probability. Too many experts on here to accuse me of claiming qualifications again.

 

[neoprema]

So many people worried about a benign science experiment on here wow. Live a little and enjoy what man is capable of that he couldn’t do before. It’s an arb space rock. No one cares what happens to it.
They have done countless simulations with big and powerful computers. The resulting data will be gold for research purposes.

 

[neoprema]

Why? Humanity is doomed to extinction like all life forms are.

Don’t agree with this. We’re very robust and adaptable when we need to be.

 

[Gordon_R]

Back on topic, some actual news:

Dimorphos: Nasa flies spacecraft into asteroid in direct hit

The same technique could be used to deflect space rocks that threaten Earth.

www.bbc.com