10/1 (Tue) 13:00 Forbes Japan Research results have been published that show that experiments and computer simulations have confirmed that it may be possible to change the orbit of an asteroid that poses a threat to Earth by using the energy emitted by a nuclear explosion. However, a prerequisite is that the asteroid be discovered before it’s too late. About 66 million years ago, a “planet-destroying” asteroid measuring 10 km in diameter collided with Earth. The Chicxulub impact caused a global mass extinction, wiping out an estimated 76% of all living species, including the dinosaurs. An asteroid the size of Chicxulub has a chance of hitting Earth once every 100 to 200 million years, with smaller impacts occurring more frequently. There are currently about 1,200 asteroids on the Near Earth Object (NEO) hazard list. The list includes any object larger than one kilometer in diameter that could theoretically collide with Earth within the next 1,000 years. These neos are too small to cause global destruction, but large enough to devastate entire regions. Proposed defense mechanisms to neutralize these threats include using a spacecraft to crash into the asteroid, or detonating a bomb on the asteroid’s surface. In theory, the kinetic energy of this impact could be harnessed to push the asteroid off a collision course with Earth. The Dual Asteroid Reorientation Test (DART) conducted in 2022 successfully altered the orbit of the 150m diameter asteroid Dimorphos. For larger celestial bodies, the use of nuclear weapons has been proposed. Detonating a nuclear bomb could potentially shatter part of the asteroid into smaller pieces that would either not hit Earth at all or would burn up in the atmosphere. However, if the asteroid is made of loosely packed material, it may simply absorb the shock waves without affecting the asteroid’s motion. In this study, a research team led by Nathan W. Moore of Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico, proposes an alternative mechanism. Rather than destroying the asteroid outright, the idea is to detonate a nuclear bomb close to the asteroid’s surface. The high-energy x-rays released by the nuclear explosion would vaporize the surface material, and the rapid expansion of this gas would be used like rocket thrust to propel the asteroid forward. (Source below.
>>1 Well, anyway, “early detection” is everything lol The sooner we can detect it, the less kinetic energy we need to deflect it from a course that will affect the Earth lol If it gets too close, it’s too late lol So this is no time to make fun of astronomy, right? lol We need to launch as many observation devices as we can lol.
Asteroid “2024 pt5” will become the “second moon” for two months only from the end of September 2024 news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/c610e1c90f0cdf9415a895fe183cd724b4ef68bf.
>>13 Outer space is full of radiation If you’re asking if the pieces that exploded and fell through the atmosphere were radioactive, I’d say they were.
>>14 The question is whether all the countries in the world would be happy if a certain country were to place a nuclear missile with a launch button in space.
When it actually comes, I wonder if it won’t come straight at you, but will it be like a hellish scene where it gets caught by the Earth’s gravity and spins around as it approaches?
The movie Melancholia is about an asteroid impact, and when it seems to have gone off course and then comes back, the cool Kiefer Sutherland from 24 casually commits suicide, which made me laugh so hard.
It’s not about saving the Earth, it’s about saving humanity, right? After all, the Earth has been hit by huge meteorites many times in the past and has remained unaffected.
>>63 As you say, there won’t be an explosion, so we’ll use the massive heat to evaporate the surface and then use the resulting repulsive force to shift the trajectory.
>>63 A long time ago, an interstellar spaceship was planned lol It was called Orion lol This one would get thrust by firing a nuclear bomb behind a plate attached to the tail lol It’s still a valid propulsion engine, but it was almost completely forgotten due to agreements on the use of nuclear weapons in space lol.
Comments