All posts by TopSpacer

Chelyabinsk event details + Euro/US asteroid intercept project

More details of the meteor fireball event over Chelyabinsk and the object that created it have been found in the subsequent studies:

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If we are to ever deflect an asteroid on a collision course with earth, it would be good if there had been at least some basci tests of some techniques such as simply hitting an asteroid with an object and seeing if it as the effecst expected. Ed Wright talks about a ESA/Johns Hopkins project to do just such a test: ESA, Johns Hopkins Plan First Asteroid Intercept Mission – CitizensInSpace.com

More about the project here: Asteroid impact mission targets Didymos – ESA

AIDA is a low-budget international effort that would send two small craft to intercept a double target. While one probe smashes into the smaller asteroid at around 6.25 km/s, the other records what happens.

One effect would be a change in the orbital ballet of the two objects. AIDA is not intended to show how we could deflect an asteroid that threatens Earth but it would be a first step.

 

 

Space policy: Sequestration hits NASA + Mark Sundahl and commercial space law

The sequestration cuts to the US federal budget went into effect yesterday. Here are two reports of their impact on NASA:

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Mark Sundahl discussed on the space show yesterday commercial space law issues, ITAR, liability waivers, informed consent, etc: Mark Sundahl, Friday, 3-1-13 – Thespaceshow’s Blog