[meteorite-list] Unbreakable Asteroids
From: Meteorites USA <eric_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:41:15 -0800 Message-ID: <4B99556B.1080300_at_meteoritesusa.com> Well I can't speak for everyone, but I would certainly donate something to the cause, it won't be much but perhaps others could as well. Perhaps a fundraiser. How many millions are needed? ;) CSS-II sound like a great idea. How exciting! I think this is just the kind of science we need in the meteorite world. Meteorites are related to just about every science in some way, and I can't think of a more exciting prospect than to find and hunt asteroids that will become meteorites. Now how cool is that? Great work Richard, and congrats again to Greg! Regards, Eric On 3/11/2010 12:25 PM, Richard Kowalski wrote: > > > --- On Thu, 3/11/10, Meteorites USA <eric at meteoritesusa.com> wrote: > > > Now who's going to find the next > > one? Greg, Richard? Anyone? > > Thanks Eric. > > Every year since 2005, we have discovered a record breaking number of > new NEOs. Before October 2008, we had discussed discovering small > impactors, but without much expectation of actually doing it. Since > then, we have spent a lot more time discussing requirements and > strategies needed to increase our odds in discovering more of these > objects in their terminal plunge without hindering our primary > responsibility, discovering and tracking NEOs which are 1-km in > diameter and larger. > > Some of you may have read about our proposed second phase survey, > dubbed "CSS-II" in the National Research Council's "Defending Planet > Earth: Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies: > Final Report", which was released a few months ago. We are confident > that this system would likely turn up more small sized impactors > before the terminal plunge. > > If funded, CSS-II would be a follow on and expansion of our current > survey, which is funded through 2013. We are also investigating ways > to obtain cameras with larger sensors and Fields of View than our > current cameras. These new cameras would allow us to cover even > greater amount of sky in less time. This would also have the added > benefit of increasing the odds of finding more small impactors. > > It is unlikely that any other current or future survey, with the > exception of CSS/CSS-II, will be able to discover these suicidal rocks > before (or if), LSST becomes operational sometime after 2016. > > Unfortunately with current government budgetary constraints, this > desirable upgrade may not take place unless we find a private benefactor. > > Received on Thu 11 Mar 2010 03:41:15 PM PST |
StumbleUpon del.icio.us Yahoo MyWeb |