Apophis asteroid

[generalmeow]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencete...ing-Earth.html

They're spending god knows how much money to find out if a satellite, traveling 6 miles per second, can impact an asteroid and change it's course?

Wouldn't the laws of physics tell them that yes, it will change the asteroid's course? Can't they figure that out on a chalk board?

So clearly there is no need for the experiment, and if I read between the lines it tells me that it isn't really an experiment. Maybe it's not a test run but the real deal. It would also make sense that they wouldn't let people know there's an asteroid on a collision course with earth in 2028 unless we can do something about it.

If they launch this mission in 2015 towards Apophis, it's time for everyone to start crapping their pants.

[mutt]

Just because the physics tells us something is possible it doesn't mean we know how to do the engineering to make it possible. Knowing you can deflect an object and doing it are two different things. I for one am glad someone out there is trying to make some kind of workable system. A giant space rock will slam into us. It's a matter of when, not if. And since Apophis is such a well known and highly observed asteroid, I highly doubt it would be on a definite collision course and no one would know but the govt. Too many people observe this thing to do any kind of cover up. It's just a logical and useful target.

[Hoosier]

What the derp?

Of course it's an experiment. It hasn't be done before. There are a lot of unknowns, namely what's the exact mass of that rock? How much energy will the impacter actually transfer to the asteroid, and how much will be lost to top layers of the rock fracturing and flying off into space?

All of the data on it's course is available to you. If you want to start learning orbital mechanics now, you should be good to go by 2015.

H.

[Mtn.man]

Don't worry Bruce Willis will be called at the last minute.

[Delfuego]

Chuck Norris could change that thing's trajectory, he could even make it his pet rock...

[trlcavscout]

Chuck Norris could change that thing's trajectory, he could even make it his pet rock...

He can go so fast on the total gym it will change the earths orbit!

[ronaldrwl]

It depends on how much they know about the object. The density and how does is react during a collision. Does it break apart or deflect. I can see a lot of uncertainty. Is it worth the money to know? That's another question.

[alan0269]

Chuck Norris could change that thing's trajectory, he could even make it his pet rock...

It IS Chuck's pet rock. He is just bringing it closer to home. When it is close enough, he will stop it.

[rockhound]

So now they are going to change its course. Isn't there every possibility they will cause it to actually hit us?

[Marlin]

2015.

Why worry, 2012 is before 2015.