Space Exploration

Are NASA's future missions and budget justified?

  • It's worth the time and expenditures

    Votes: 223 66.0%

  • Complete waste of money

    Votes: 41 12.1%

  • We need to explore, but not at the current cost

    Votes: 74 21.9%
  • Total voters
    338
#1,310
#1,310
Grand Vol said:
It's pretty much a Lunar Winnebago.

Japan Taps Toyota to Build Futuristic Moon Rover
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N01aT.jpg
 
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#1,312
#1,312
Grand Vol said:
US detects meteor explosion 10 times the energy as atomic bomb: report
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I've often wished they would shave a billion or so from the DOD for the development of a system that can identify and protect us from large astroids some comets. We're a long way from being able to deflect a planet killer but if we had the will we could relatively soon defend earth from objects large enough to destroy cities. The byproduct would probably have military applications as well.

NASA has some small amount of funding to identify and track near earth objects including some that have the potential to hit us. They still cannot see one if it is coming from the direction of the sun. And so far the means of destroying or deflecting them is still just in the think tank stage. What you often see in science fiction probably won't be the best way to it.

Side note: This may sound funny but one method they are looking out is painting the object or part of it white and letting the pressure of sunlight move it enough to miss us. Or perhaps paint it and use space based lasers to deflect it in the same way they might one day propel solar sails.
 
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#1,313
#1,313
Hunerwadel said:
I've often wished they would shave a billion or so from the DOD for the development of a system that can identify and protect us from large astroids some comets. We're a long way from being able to deflect a planet killer but if we had the will we could relatively soon defend earth from objects large enough to destroy cities. The byproduct would probably have military applications as well.

NASA has some small amount of funding to identify and track near earth objects including some that have the potential to hit us. They still cannot see one if it is coming from the direction of the sun. And so far the means of destroying or deflecting them is still just in the think tank stage. What you often see in science fiction probably won't be the best way to it.

Side note: This may sound funny but one method they are looking out is painting the object or part of it white and letting the pressure of sunlight move it enough to miss us. Or perhaps paint it and use space based lasers to deflect it in the same way they might one day propel solar sails.
Click to expand...
what would painting it change? Unless it was a more absorbent paint(?), the same amount of light would be hitting it, no matter the color.

if you are going to get up there to it, installing a little engine would probably be easier than painting it. stick it in one spot. have it push just enough to change the approach by a fraction of a degree and we are good.

The issue with either approach is getting to the object in time to be able to make a change, we are fairly limited in that regard, even with robots.

The issue with random deflection, is that it is random. I would imagine a rail gun type weapon could be used, and that is being tested. issue is you have to match the density of what ever you are shooting to deflect it. if our "bullet" is too dense it could just punch right through. Too soft and it may not make it through the atmosphere. and then once its done, we have altered the known path of an object to a random one.
 
#1,314
#1,314
Awesome we may be just over two weeks until the Falcon Heavy flies again!

SpaceX is targeting April 7 for the launch of the Arabsat 6A communications satellite from Pad 39A, citing anonymous sources. SpaceX has not officially announced a launch target for the Falcon Heavy mission.

The 13,200-lb. (6,000 kilograms) Arabsat 6A was built by Lockheed Martin and will be operated by the Saudi Arabian company Arabsat.

The Falcon Heavy made its debut flight early last year when it carried a Tesla Roadster to orbit.

 
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#1,315
#1,315
LouderVol said:
what would painting it change? Unless it was a more absorbent paint(?), the same amount of light would be hitting it, no matter the color.

if you are going to get up there to it, installing a little engine would probably be easier than painting it. stick it in one spot. have it push just enough to change the approach by a fraction of a degree and we are good.

The issue with either approach is getting to the object in time to be able to make a change, we are fairly limited in that regard, even with robots.

The issue with random deflection, is that it is random. I would imagine a rail gun type weapon could be used, and that is being tested. issue is you have to match the density of what ever you are shooting to deflect it. if our "bullet" is too dense it could just punch right through. Too soft and it may not make it through the atmosphere. and then once its done, we have altered the known path of an object to a random one.
Click to expand...

I’m away from my computer I can give you a better explanation later. Can’t type well on a phone But think solar sails. They are highly reflective for a reason. Hint: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. If solar sails were black they would just absorb the energy and convert it into heat. Rocket motors attached would work. An asteroid would be spinning. Maybe rapidly and could pose a problem. The rocket or motor would have to fire intermittently but those problems can be overcome though.

The angle of deflection will not matter. If you can slow it down, speed it up or move it in any direction enough it will miss. Although there should be an optimal angle.
 
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#1,316
#1,316
Hunerwadel said:
I’m away from my computer I can give you a better explanation later. But think solar sails. They are highly reflective for a reason. Hint: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. If solar sails were black they would just absorb the energy. Rocket motors attached would work. An asteroid would be spinning. Maybe rapidly and could pose a problem. The rocket or motor would have to fire intermittently but those problems can be overcome though.
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22y5q2.jpg
 
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#1,318
#1,318
I've read that the nuclear option could break it I to smaller parts that could be equally dangerous. I've also read that using a nuke by exploding it away from the object to deflect it, is a very viable option.
 
#1,319
#1,319
InVOLuntary said:
I've read that the nuclear option could break it I to smaller parts that could be equally dangerous. I've also read that using a nuke by exploding it away from the object to deflect it, is a very viable option.
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Don't forget, a single nuke can split one the size of Texas in half.
 
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