Russia may send spacecraft to knock away asteroid

[thecrow]

Source: AP

Dec 30, 8:47 AM (ET)

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV

MOSCOW (AP) - Russia is considering sending a spacecraft to a large asteroid to knock it off its path and prevent a possible collision with Earth, the head of the country's space agency said Wednesday.

Anatoly Perminov said the space agency will hold a meeting soon to assess a mission to Apophis, telling Golos Rossii radio that it would invite NASA, the European Space Agency, the Chinese space agency and others to join the project once it is finalized.

When the 270-meter (885-foot) asteroid was first discovered in 2004, astronomers estimated the chances of it smashing into Earth in its first flyby in 2029 were as high as 1-in-37, but have since lowered their estimate.

Further studies ruled out the possibility of an impact in 2029, when the asteroid is expected to come no closer than 18,300 miles (29,450 kilometers) above Earth's surface, but they indicated a small possibility of a hit on subsequent encounters.



Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20091230/D9CTLJSG0.html

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[howard112211]

1. Even if this particular asteroid will miss, it is a good idea to conduct such a mission

as a test run to gather experience for the event of a serious threat.

[Ganja Ninja]

2. Thank God we don't have to depend on our government to do anything.

We'd still be arguing it in committee by 2036.

[Larkspur]

4. But if corporations can make big bucks doing this then we'd get "bipartisan" support

Wars and projects such as this is all about the Money.

[Canuckistanian]

6. Tom Coburn would be arguing that there really isn't an asteroid

And that it's all just a big hoax by NASA to get more funding.

[ixion]

3. if the US weren't so all-consumed trying to destroy the world for Pax Americana

we could be doing cool stuff like this, too.

Instead, we're killing civilians day by day.

[AlphaCentauri]

5. Interesting the US are becoming the police of the world

and Russians the sidereal police.