[tt] [x-risk] B612 Foundation studying asteroid deflection

[Eugen Leitl]

----- Forwarded message from "Hughes, James J." <James.Hughes at trincoll.edu> -----

From: "Hughes, James J." <James.Hughes at trincoll.edu>
Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2008 11:28:56 -0400
To: existential at transhumanism.org
Subject: [x-risk] B612 Foundation studying asteroid deflection
Reply-To: For discussion of existential risks <existential at transhumanism.org>


[1]Asteroid Apocalypse Prevention Finally Gets Some Funding

   With all the space rocks [2]zipping by Earth these days, we're pretty
   much cruising for an interplanetary bruising. But NASA's line on the
   situation is, to paraphrase administrator [3]Mike Griffin: "[4]Forget
   about that whole thing; we're going back to the Moon! Yay!"
   Fortunately, the [5]B612 Foundation is slightly more serious about
   making sure our civilization isn't snuffed out by an asteroid or
   comet. Headed by former astronaut Rusty Schweickart, the non-profit is
   kicking $50,000 to a group of experts at [6]Jet Propulsion Labs to
   study the "gravity tractor" method of deflecting doomsday objects that
   are inbound for momma Earth.

   While Griff and his [7]Bush Administration cronies dust off their
   tie-dye shirts, smoke a bowl and try to relive NASA's Apollo golden
   years with their mission back to the Moon, it's good to know someone's
   paying attention to the Asteroid threat.

   Of the many different methods proposed for altering space rocks'
   course -- or blowing them up -- gravity tractoring seems to be the
   most attractive. By launching a satellite towards a Near-Earth
   Asteroid (NEA) and hanging out close by, the vehicle's gravitational
   influence will slowly, and ever so slightly alter the asteroid's
   course. The process requires a lot of advaned notice, but should work
   without the use of lasers, nuclear weapons, or Bruce Willis.

   From B612's [8]mission statement:

   The reality of concern to us, among others, is that the discovery of a
   NEA headed toward an impact with Earth could be announced at any time
   by the Spaceguard program. If this were to happen the public would be
   extremely concerned and demand to know what is being done about it.

   Unfortunately the answer is "nothing". This, it seems to us, is
   intolerable and could cause widespread alarm. For this reason the
   [9]B612 Foundation, recognizing that national governments feel (to the
   extent that they have considered the matter) that they are not in a
   position to spend public money on mitigation, are taking the
   initiative now to begin this process with the use of private funds. We
   believe that there are adequate numbers of intelligent and concerned
   people to support the critical initial planning work that needs to be
   done to eventually reach an operational system to deflect incoming
   NEAs.

   Our conviction is that there is nothing more powerful to convince the
   public that this audacious challenge can be met than to actually do
   it. Our goal is to physically deflect a representative asteroid as a
   demonstration that a longer term, more challenging operational system
   can become a reality.

   Now of course it's a possibility that B612 could take a rock that's
   not an imminent threat to Earth and make it one by altering its
   course, but that's pretty unlikely. More important is that someone is
   serious about saving humanity from a space rock strike, but they're
   seriously underfunded -- $50,000 is a drop in the bucket, and we're
   going to need an X-Prize style contest, or some mega-rich asteroid
   geek to pony up some bucks if we're ever going to dodge the big one.

   Source: [10]LiveScience

References

   1. http://io9.com/5019195/asteroid-apocalypse-prevention-finally-gets-some-funding
   2. http://io9.com/5018346/10-scariest-asteroid-attacks-on-earth-the-near-hits-and-approaching-terrors
   3. http://io9.com/tag/Mike-Griffin/
   4. http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200806/asteroids
   5. http://www.b612foundation.org/
   6. http://io9.com/tag/Jet-Propulsion-Labs/
   7. http://io9.com/tag/bush-administration/
   8. http://www.b612foundation.org/about/welcome.html
   9. http://io9.com/tag/B612-Foundation/
  10. http://www.livescience.com/blogs/2008/06/20/asteroid-gravity-tractor-idea-funded-study/

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Eugen* Leitl <a href="http://leitl.org">leitl</a> http://leitl.org
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