[meteorite-list] But... but... Bruce Willis!

From: Darren Garrison <cynapse_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2008 21:36:22 -0400
Message-ID: <uf8q84p67u6alofvvtt3ejqr4lsha6968q_at_4ax.com>

http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/07/nukes-are-not-t.html

Nukes Are Not the Best Way to Stop an Asteroid

Nuclear weapons could be used to stop earth-bound asteroids, but in most
instances, they are not the best option, said Apollo astronaut Rusty Schweickart
during a public lecture this Wednesday in San Francisco.

The venerable scientist explained that all but the largest heavenly bodies can
be redirected by rear-ending or towing them with an unmanned spacecraft. But
last year, NASA issued a report stating that using nukes is the best strategy to
prevent a catastrophic collision with earth.

Although Schweickart has a great deal of faith in the agency, enough to risk his
life piloting their lunar lander, he feels that they issued the misleading
statement -- under immense political pressure. It was a nefarious excuse to put
nuclear weapons in space.

His own organization, the B612 Foundation, intends to use gentler tactics to
alter the course of an asteroid by 2015.

Right now, humans are not tracking most of the objects that could cause serious
damage to earth, but in the next century, as powerful new telescopes come
online, we will begin watching many of them. When that day comes, we will know
which ones stand a chance of hitting earth, and it will be time to make some
tough decisions.

Since tracking asteroids contains an element of uncertainty, there will be a lot
of false alarms, so it may not be necessary to take action at all. If it must be
stopped, should we bump it, drag it, or blow it off course?

The astronaut compares our current situation to standing blindfolded in a
batting cage. Right now, we can't do anything, but we know that some balls are
hurling towards us. In a few years, our blindfold will come off, and the whole
world will be forced to decide -- together -- when to duck.



and the site mentioned:

http://www.b612foundation.org/
Received on Sun 27 Jul 2008 09:36:22 PM PDT