[paraclete]

It seems we hear about this object is almost monotomous regularity every few years it is back, this time it is wasn't close, but will be in 2029 , it is about time we diverted some of the resources devoted to chasing Martians and trying to establish ourseves on an inhospitable planet, to actually using our space reseach to doing something practical that may even be of benefit to future generations, or well, actually the next generation. This is the planet we have, contrary to the ideas of some, it is worth preserving and diverting our war making resources to securing our future

Apophis will pass by Thursday if you live where I do, hopefully peacefully

Close pass with asteroid Apophis | News.com.au

[speechlesstx]

Well, if aliens reside on Apophis it could be just what we need to jump start the economy.

Paul Krugman Calls for Space Aliens to Attack Earth Requiring Massive Defense Buildup to Stimulate Economy

Maybe then we wouldn't have to mint that trillion dollar coin he wants.

[NeedKarma]

Krugman was just using an absurd analogy and a "news" website made a whole article around it? LOL!

[speechlesstx]

Krugman was just using an absurd analogy and a "news" website made a whole article around it? LOL!

Key word is "absurd," but since your reason for existence is to ridicule conservatives you can ridicule Time and Huffpo while you're at it.

What's absurd is Krugman, not those who report on his absurdities.

[NeedKarma]

Ok.

[tomder55]

When it comes back in 2029 it may pass through a "key hole " and have it's orbit diverted enough that the next time it comes back it impacts Earth. Start hording supplies now... If you need some excess Y2K stuff let me know... canned beans plastic bottles of water etc.

[paraclete]

Tom if it hits us hoarding stuff won't help you, it is predicted to hit the Pacific off the coast of California washing it all away. The effect on the atmosphere will in all probability cause a nuclear winter in the northern hemishere and return of the ice age. This is a real threat and we have early warning, billions were spent of a preemptive strike on Iraq, on the possibility of danger and this is no less a threat.

But we have the ability to alter its course if we start early, we can nudge it a little, it will take technology and development of space vehicles and lots of time, we could have an Apophis led recovery, something akin to the space race

[tomder55]

Look up b612 foundation.org

[paraclete]

Look up b612 foundation.org

Very nice Tom, like we need another space telescope, but think about what Dr. Lu said for a moment, they are going to track hundreds of thousands of asteroids after 2018, but we have one in sight right now, we know where it is, we know when it is coming back, and as he said; we already have the technology to divert it, so why don't we just go do it? We could even have our first success by the time they launch their telescope, and if I read him right, it costs less than the average museum or even presidential library.

I'll answer my own question, it doesn't capture the public's imagination. We need a Richard Branson to take this on, think of it, not just a space tug but a flyby of an asteroid. Big market in it

So thanks for making my point, even now there is hope we will do something right

[tomder55]

My point was that it's the private sector that is leading the charge . If Apophis is on a collision course with Earth then we have until 2036 to execute an intecept AND we won't even know if that is true until it's flyby in 2029 . Their telescope is to identify the ones we don't know about... not the ones that we know about and aren't an immediate threat.
So keep your shorts on.

[paraclete]

No Tom, you don't get it, if we can deflect Apophis so can another object anytime in the next 20 years and it doesn't take much, so the time is not later, which is the favourite ploy, but now, and yes, if the private sector wants to do the job well yes, but the reality is government has greater resource

[tomder55]

I don't see it . There isn't a government on this planet that doesn't trip over it's own shoe laces. The only resources government has are the ones expropriated from the people.

[paraclete]

You need to stop with this B/S Tom, government gets done what the people want or will tolerate. You went to tehe Moon because the people were on board. When something is politically expedient, like saving the planet, then there can be momentum, unless, of course, you live in the land of forever speak and do nothing. There is a lot of profit to be made from a revitalised space industry chasing space rocks and it will yield a more important result than trying to colonise a hostile planet. Some commercial elements have already seen the possibility but government needs to lead if for no other reason than making the project popular.

It is time for vision, the vision of a lot less ELE

[tomder55]

Unleash the hidden hand... then the asteroids will be mined.

[speechlesstx]

I don't see it . There isn't a government on this planet that doesn't trip over it's own shoe laces. The only resources government has are the ones expropriated from the people.

With my dad in VA care since Christmas eve on one hand and trying to deal with the state of California on the other, I can attest that they don't even know what shoelaces are.

[paraclete]

Yes speech they often have trouble with the details

[speechlesstx]

Yes speech they often have trouble with the details

Details? They can't handle the simple stuff.

[paraclete]

Yeh well unless it comes in triplicate they can't see it

[paraclete]

This isn't apophis but this is happening with far too much regularity. Once we didn't know but now we do and it is time we began to take the threat posed by space rocks seriously
Asteroid on way, not too close for comfort
This particular rock is close enough to be inside the orbit of geostationary satellites

Tom thinks we shoudld mine them, but seriously how do you get the material back to Earth in reasonable quantity, a space lift maybe? We need as I have said before to have a plan of how to deal with these rocks

[NeedKarma]

but this is happening with far too much regularity.

I think it's simply because we now have better tools to see into deep space.