• io9
  • science
  • overmind
  • kotaku
  • gizmodo
  • Profile logout login

#spacedefense

io9

Share Cancel
   
Upload an image | Add an image URL
×

logging in
  • FAQ. Include # before tag:
  • #observationdeck,
  • #tips,
  • #calendar,
  • etc.

San Francisco, 10:18 PM
Mon Nov 30
26 posts in the last 24 hours

Team

Tip your editors: tips@io9.com

Editor-in-Chief:
Annalee Newitz | Email

News Editor:
Charlie Jane Anders | Email

Associate Editor:
Meredith Woerner | Email

Assistant Editor:
Lauren Davis | Email

Weekend Editor:
Graeme McMillan | Email

Contributors:
Joshua Glenn
Stephen Goldmeier | Email
Ed Grabianowski | Email
Austin Grossman
Paul Hogan | Email
Lauren Davis | Email
Chris Hsiang | Email
Lynn Peril | Email
Ann VanderMeer
Alasdair Wilkins | Email

Graphic Designer:
Stephanie Fox | Email

Interns:
Tim Barribeau | Email
Julia Carusillo | Email
Alex Eichler | Email
Cyriaque Lamar | Email
Caitlin Petrakovitz | Email
Mary Ratliff | Email
Josh Snyder | Email

More:
io9 on Facebook
follow io9 on Twitter

SUBSCRIBE TO io9 RSS

New: Breaking news and daily top stories via email
1428 Subscribers
io9
  • posts about #spacedefense more →

    Building an International Meteorite Defense Network
  • Your version of Internet Explorer is not supported. Please upgrade to the most recent version in order to view comments.
    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of lightninglouie lightninglouie
    11/26/08

    In reply to Building an International Meteorite Defense Network
    That town is so getting eaten by the Blob tonight.
     Reply
    lightninglouie was starred lightninglouie was unstarred
    Image of jajbowler jajbowler
    11/26/08

    In reply to Building an International Meteorite Defense Network
    We should try and start a UN Committe on Petty and Spiteful uses of Outer Space.
     Reply
    jajbowler was starred jajbowler was unstarred
    Image of tetracycloide tetracycloide
    11/26/08

    In reply to Building an International Meteorite Defense Network
    5-30 megaton events have already happened with very little long term effect. i'm not sure why we'd be worried over something in the 3-5 range. sure, if the object managed to defy the odds and actually strike the center of a major population center said city would be gone but other than that not much would happen.
     Reply
    tetracycloide was starred tetracycloide was unstarred
    Image of holographicProfessorMoriarty holographicProfessorMoriarty
    11/26/08

    In reply to Building an International Meteorite Defense Network
    As far as I'm concerne,. they could just shoot Bruce Willis up there on a one way trip to stop on coming doom.


    I'm just saying....

     Reply
    holographicProfessorMoriarty was starred holographicProfessorMoriarty was unstarred
    Image of GitEmSteveDave_DefinesTurgid GitEmSteveDave_DefinesTurgid
    11/26/08

    @dOk: How about Harrison Ford and Affleck?
     Reply
    GitEmSteveDave_DefinesTurgid was starred GitEmSteveDave_DefinesTurgid was unstarred
    Image of lazyeight lazyeight
    11/26/08

    In reply to Building an International Meteorite Defense Network
    The 'gravity tug' thing bothers me.
    If you send a vehicle to interact with the offending body, how far out must you intercept it in order for your miniscule mass to alter its trajectory? If you could get there, wouldn't it make more sense to soft 'ram' it and try to alter its delta vee with your engines? Over time and distance, a little, constant nudge makes for a greatly changed course.
     Reply
    lazyeight was starred lazyeight was unstarred
    Image of GitEmSteveDave_DefinesTurgid GitEmSteveDave_DefinesTurgid
    11/26/08

    @lazyeight: I would think it's probably eaier said than done as you would have to be pretty precise to alter the trajectory if you were applying force. If you were off center, then you would impart spin on the object, which might not alter it's trajectory and make a tug like back up plan harder. I think.
     Reply
    GitEmSteveDave_DefinesTurgid was starred GitEmSteveDave_DefinesTurgid was unstarred
    Image of OW-Holmes:Bringer of Fear OW-Holmes:Bringer of Fear
    11/26/08

    In reply to Building an International Meteorite Defense Network
    What's everyone so worked up about? So there's a meteorite. Big deal. It'll burn up in atmosphere and whatever's left will be no bigger than a Chihuahua's head.
     Reply
    OW-Holmes:Bringer of Fear was starred OW-Holmes:Bringer of Fear was unstarred
    Image of Grey_Area Grey_Area
    11/26/08

    In reply to Building an International Meteorite Defense Network
    Sure blowing stuff up is fun but that just leaves more crap zooming around. I think the popular method making the rounds is some sort of "gravity tug". A spacecraft with enough mass to affect the object's orbit nudges it to a course that doesn't cause blockbuster action movies.

    Also, we might be able to shepherd several objects together to make mining easier.
     Reply
    Grey_Area was starred Grey_Area was unstarred
    Image of GitEmSteveDave_DefinesTurgid GitEmSteveDave_DefinesTurgid
    11/26/08

    In reply to Building an International Meteorite Defense Network
    Call the Geek Squad
     Reply
    GitEmSteveDave_DefinesTurgid was starred GitEmSteveDave_DefinesTurgid was unstarred
    Image of Moff Moff
    11/26/08

    In reply to Building an International Meteorite Defense Network
    Sure, but what about the meteors that come at us from under the Earth?
     Reply
    Moff was starred Moff was unstarred
    Image of Grey_Area Grey_Area
    11/26/08

    @Moff: Or the meteors that send anthrax through the mail?
     Reply
    Grey_Area was starred Grey_Area was unstarred
    Image of Moff Moff
    11/26/08

    @Grey_Area: Or the meteors that make "yo momma" jokes!
     Reply
    Moff was starred Moff was unstarred
    Image of Grey_Area Grey_Area
    11/26/08

    @Moff: Cosmic debris can be so cruel. But when you get to know them you find that, like all bullies, the suffer from low-self esteem.
     Reply
    Grey_Area was starred Grey_Area was unstarred
    Image of Moff Moff
    11/26/08

    @Moff: I mean really good ones, that sting.
     Reply
    Moff was starred Moff was unstarred
    Image of Grey_Area Grey_Area
    11/26/08

    @Grey_Area: "...they suffer..."

    Crap: I nned a gud copy Editer.
     Reply
    Grey_Area was starred Grey_Area was unstarred
    Image of Moff Moff
    11/26/08

    @Grey_Area: That's what she said!
     Reply
    Moff was starred Moff was unstarred
    Image of Grey_Area Grey_Area
    11/26/08

    @Moff: Yo momma so massive she got a Schwartzchilde Radius for a belt!
     Reply
    Grey_Area was starred Grey_Area was unstarred
    Image of Moff Moff
    11/26/08

    @Grey_Area: Like the opposite of that one.
     Reply
    Moff was starred Moff was unstarred
    Image of Grey_Area Grey_Area
    11/26/08

    @Moff: You are worse than Hitler.
     Reply
    Grey_Area was starred Grey_Area was unstarred
    Earlier discussions Other discussions Show all discussions Show featured discussions only Start a new discussion

Login

Enter your username and password.

Please enter a username.
Please enter your password.
logging in
Login via Facebook | Sign Up | Forgot Password?

Reset Password

Please enter your email address to have your password reset.

Please enter your email address.
Please enter a valid email address.
requesting password reset

Register

Registering will give you a user profile and the ability to add other users as friends. To become a commenter, however, you need to audition.

Want to know more? Consult the Comment FAQ and legal terms.

Please enter a username.
Please enter a password.
Please confirm your password.
Passwords are not identical.
Please enter a valid email address.
registration sent, waiting for reply

Submit Your Comment

You don't need to login to comment. Just enter your email address below.

See how your address will be displayed in the Comment FAQ.

Please enter a valid email address.
Please enter a valid email address.
logging in

Login with your Facebook or io9 account.

Sign up here.



  • Archives
  • About
  • Advertising
  • Legal
  • Help
  • Report a Bug
  • FAQ
Original material is licensed under a Creative Commons License permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution.