Blast the Asteroid Before It Hits the Moon

[Hvizsgyak]

MSN

A little while back, scientists breathed a sigh of relief that Asteroid 2024 yr4 would not hit the Earth. There was a chance that it could hit the Moon though but scientists were not that worried about that situation. Many asteroids have done so in the past, what's another on especially if it wouldn't alter the Moon's orbit. Now though, scientists have declared "open season" on this asteroid. It appears that the asteroid hitting the Moon could cause more damage than expected to Earth and the stuff the orbits the Earth especially if the asteroid hits on the side of the Moon facing Earth.

Is it time to test out those ballistic missiles on this asteroid?

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

Just a hint: it works better when you give the name of the article, and then post the article url into the title. Makes it a lot clearer for everyone.

And from said article, it says there's a 4% chance of it hitting the moon. Not great but certainly not terrible.

What is terrible is the thinking that we have any current ballistic missiles, nuclear or not, capable of destroying an asteroid of that size, especially since we don't fully know it's exact size and composition, all of which are necessary to know if it even can be destroyed with conventional warheads. Let alone the fact that such a shot would be... Lord, I don't even want to imagine the calculation that would be needed to go into that sort of shot. You'd need NASA engineers and military artillerymen to work that out.

Frankly, it's a bit of a nothingburger right now.

 

[AV1611VET]

Meh -- let it hit.

We could always use another crater for some novelty company to offer naming rights to it.

(For a nominal fee, of course.)

 

[Maria Billingsley]

MSN

A little while back, scientists breathed a sigh of relief that Asteroid 2024 yr4 would not hit the Earth. There was a chance that it could hit the Moon though but scientists were not that worried about that situation. Many asteroids have done so in the past, what's another on especially if it wouldn't alter the Moon's orbit. Now though, scientists have declared "open season" on this asteroid. It appears that the asteroid hitting the Moon could cause more damage than expected to Earth and the stuff the orbits the Earth especially if the asteroid hits on the side of the Moon facing Earth.

Is it time to test out those ballistic missiles on this asteroid?

This is one of our moon's functions, to take the hit instead of earth. Besides, there are over a million craters on the moon that have shaped it for billions ( old earther here) of years . No need to interfere!

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

This is one of our moon's functions, to take the hit instead of earth. Besides, there are over a million craters on the moon that have shaped it for billions ( old earther here) of years . No need to interfere!

It's not really a function, more a byproduct.

 

[Tuur]

Just a hint: it works better when you give the name of the article, and then post the article url into the title. Makes it a lot clearer for everyone.

And from said article, it says there's a 4% chance of it hitting the moon. Not great but certainly not terrible.

What is terrible is the thinking that we have any current ballistic missiles, nuclear or not, capable of destroying an asteroid of that size, especially since we don't fully know it's exact size and composition, all of which are necessary to know if it even can be destroyed with conventional warheads. Let alone the fact that such a shot would be... Lord, I don't even want to imagine the calculation that would be needed to go into that sort of shot. You'd need NASA engineers and military artillerymen to work that out.

Frankly, it's a bit of a nothingburger right now.

Aiming the shot is several decades of old hat now. The more pertinent question is how much bang would it take to deflect the asteroid. You don't really want to shatter it, with all those parts of different sizes ending up in different orbits.

My own 'read too much science fiction for his own good" suggestion is a solar powered ion motors landed on the asteroid. If we want to get more trendy, great big solar sails and make the thing a sunjammer. Attaching solar sails would likely be a problem, where the thrust of an ion motor, though relatively low, might keep it secured. Not that we're talking gale-force solar winds here.

 

[AV1611VET]

Aiming the shot is several decades of old hat now. The more pertinent question is how much bang would it take to deflect the asteroid. You don't really want to shatter it, with all those parts of different sizes ending up in different orbits.

I concur.

 

[Hvizsgyak]

Some scientists are rethinking the scenario because if the asteroid hits the surface of the Moon that is facing the Earth, they claim it would kick up alot of debris that would be sent hurdling toward the Earth. A major meteor shower that could take out alot of artificial satellites that circle the Earth. Plus, the scientist say, they have no idea how many meteor would make it to Earth causing damage here. Hopefully it won't turn out to be too bad.

 

[caffeinated hermit]

I clicked on this thread hoping for a fun arcade game. I was sad.

 

[Ophiolite]

Some scientists are rethinking the scenario because if the asteroid hits the surface of the Moon that is facing the Earth, they claim it would kick up alot of debris that would be sent hurdling toward the Earth. A major meteor shower that could take out alot of artificial satellites that circle the Earth. Plus, the scientist say, they have no idea how many meteor would make it to Earth causing damage here. Hopefully it won't turn out to be too bad.

I put your last remark in bold. That's exactly what they thought in Atlantis.

 

[Hvizsgyak]

MSN

Here is a not so scientific view of how we would go about nuking an asteroid. The video feels that there is no real threat until 2175 (phew) but just in case one sneaks through, supposedly we are ready (actually depending on how much we have to react). So are we really ready or just filling ourselves with false securities. Yes, just like they thought in Atlantis, right before the captain went down with the island (taps, please).