The New Space Race

**Sasaki Kojiro** · 04-27-2009, 03:10

Yes, we will certainly need to do something sometime. But I don't believe it's necessary to do it now. Seems like protecting the earths environment and people would be a higher priority, given the low chance of asteroid strike in the near future.

**CBR** · 04-27-2009, 04:49

Originally Posted by CBR

AFAIK such telescopes are coming on line within a few years and are expected to pick up a few 100K asteroids we haven't picked up yet.

I'll just correct myself and add that the 100K appear to be just the expected Jupiter Trojan asteroids. Total estimated asteroids are several millions. Of course most of them will not be Near Earth Asteroids.

CBR

**a completely inoffensive name** · 04-27-2009, 06:22

Originally Posted by Sasaki Kojiro

Yes, we will certainly need to do something sometime. But I don't believe it's necessary to do it now. Seems like protecting the earths environment and people would be a higher priority, given the low chance of asteroid strike in the near future.

Technically we don't know what the probably is because we have not spotted every possible object there is. For all we know there is one with a 100% chance of hitting us in the next year and we have not spotted it. Asteroids are a hidden danger that literally can spring up as a major threat at any moment, so why put off solutions toward it?

And its not like we have to dwell on one problem at a time.

**rory_20_uk** · 04-27-2009, 10:31

So more telescopes it is then, and some reworked ICBMs to nudge them out of the way (fingers crossed) if found. Again, no need to stick some prefabs on Mars.

**CBR** · 04-27-2009, 14:22

An ICBM does not have the capacity to send anything big in low Earth orbit so far away missions are not an option. But we have rockets like Delta, Ariane or Proton that are used for interplanetary missions and that should be enough. Maybe payloads will have to be bigger, as I don't know how big an ion engine or mirror is needed, but bigger rockets are being developed anyway.

CBR

**Sheogorath** · 04-27-2009, 16:58

Originally Posted by CBR

That is because we have used very few resources looking for them. So right now we basically don't have any early warning coverage.

If something is dangerous then it is also big and therefore pretty easy to detect. It just requires enough hardware to look for it.

CBR

I'll look forward to your attempt to convince the worlds governments to spend money on something that isn't military and probably won't get them elected again, then :P

**rory_20_uk** · 04-27-2009, 17:30

Send the idea to the UK. We're a glutton for wasting money on all sorts of utterly useless projects. That might mean one with a possible use is out of the question of course...

**CBR** · 04-27-2009, 19:04

Originally Posted by Sheogorath

I'll look forward to your attempt to convince the worlds governments to spend money on something that isn't military and probably won't get them elected again, then :P

I don't have to. Already back in 1998 US congress asked NASA to find a majority of NEO (Near Earth Objects) of 1+ km size within 10 years. In 2005 the congress extended that to 140+ meter objects and gave 15 years for that.

One of the projects are the Panoramic Survey Telescope & Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS) which should be completed in 2012. Such a system is capable of covering the sky 3-4 times a month and estimated cost is 100 million $, in other words about half of the combined production/marketing budget for the movie Armageddon...

CBR

**Gregoshi** · 04-27-2009, 19:13

Originally Posted by rory_20_uk

Send the idea to the UK. We're a glutton for wasting money on all sorts of utterly useless projects. That might mean one with a possible use is out of the question of course...

There is an idea! We just need to convince you Europeans that there is gold, the Fountain of Youth or any other some such thing on Mars and you guys will be off in a jiffy. Then you can build some castles, a nude space walk zone or two near the space port of Marsay and advertise an interplanetary culture

superior to Earth and we Americans will follow in droves.

**KukriKhan** · 04-28-2009, 14:10

Originally Posted by Gregoshi

There is an idea! We just need to convince you Europeans that there is gold, the Fountain of Youth or any other some such thing on Mars and you guys will be off in a jiffy. Then you can build some castles, a nude space walk zone or two near the space port of Marsay and advertise an interplanetary culture

superior to Earth and we Americans will follow in droves.

... and whisper/imply "The Queen may appear at any moment...".

Sign me up. I can hardly wait: Space Tourism, not just for crazy billionaires anymore.