Ever wondered how the world would react it our planet was ever in danger of being hit by an asteroid; threatening our very existence. According to NASA, the first men to know of this impending calamity will be a group of fewer than 12 scientists, via a text message.
Soon after that, the scientists will start gathering observations of the object, usually from one of the large survey telescopes.
FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate said in a statement,
“It is critical to exercise these kinds of low-probability but high-consequence disaster scenarios. By working through our emergency response plans now, we will be better prepared if and when we need to respond to such an event.”
Pic Credits: mirrorspectrum
As soon as a new near-Earth object (NEO) is detected, it is recorded in the Minor Planet Center’s public forum, which is an organization on the outlook for new objects in the solar system. And it is this organization that sends an email or a text message to the NASA scientists if it sees an object traveling on a trajectory towards the Earth in the next six days.
After that the process of gathering data and confirming its size and orbit begins. NASA and the Minor Planet Center have to agree on the fact that the space rock will hit the Earth before any further steps are taken.
Pic Credits: mirrorspectrum
Gareth Williams, associate director of the Minor Planet Center, said,
Usually “…when we get further observations, the possibility of an impact disappears or the possibility of a very close approach disappears,”
Fortunately, our Earth is not an attractive target for the floating balls of destruction, but in case anything does enter our atmosphere, NASA will then notify the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. And of course, a press release will be issued soon after that.
But since many scientists will be working on it, it is quite understandable that the news will reach you via social media before any press releases are issued.
Johnson explained,
“Since the work is all done in the open, the observations and orbits are available over the internet if you know where to look. Folks on the internet would probably be talking about it before we get to the point where we can put a public notice out.”
So what can they do if they finally agree that a rock is coming for us?
Not much to be honest. Although scientists have mapped the orbits covering about 90 percent of NEOs sizing 1 kilometer or larger in a bid to be prepared, the fact is that they don’t have the technology to avert the crisis.
NASA has been looking into ways to deflect or destroy the asteroid, with theories ranging from shooting lasers at the asteroid to blowing it up using missiles, but no method has been tested in space yet, so their practicality is still doubted.
Pic Credits: mirrorspectrum
NASA and the European Space Agency have also started a new mission called the Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment (AIDA), which would divert an asteroid using an impactor, but it too is still under development.
What are your thoughts on the remedial measures to divert a ball of doom? Do you think we should spend more resources on coming up with a solution? Let us know in the comments’ section below!
We could send a crew of roughneck oilfield drillers into space, land on it, drill a hole and drop a bomb down in it. Oh, right, we don’t have space shuttles anymore.
With all the money governments spend in silly, not important or just popular measures… if we dont make a plan/Technology NOW, we deserve to become extinct if an asteroid comes our way. So sad we could really prevent it with the proper political will but still dragging our feet…
The knowledge of an imminent impact is something that the world would need to deal with, given such an impact is likely to be an extinction event means we could do whatever we felt best, and little else. The result would be just the same whatever the world’s response. However researching a solution is a sensible move even if present day technology is inadequate at least we’d have an idea of where we need to look for a world insurance event.
Hey – when humanity’s number is up – it’s up! Mankind is not worth the effort and expense to protect against an apocalyptic event. We’ve had a good run for the last 10,000 years. If a doomsday scenario presents itself, I’d say just let it happen and give nature a another chance to get it right on Earth, if there’s an Earth remaining. Sound harsh? In my opinion, it would take a collision with a man-kind ending result to destroy the evil that prevails in our societies. We, man-kind, cannot do it. We’ve had our chance. Now let nature take its course and wipe the slate clean and start over again.
Hey, I have an idea! The problem with mankind is candy ass whiners like you. Everybody of your mindset should buy a gun, and use it on yourself! That way the rest of us could concentrate on the problem without having to listen to the naysayers like you. People like you infuriate me. You were given life. Either use it to the best of your ability or do us all a favor and off yourself.
I think scientists should work on building a large floating sucker which can create a large vacuum (-ve pressure) and force asteroid to change its trajectory.. ?..
Send two robotic machines that drill for a mounting point. The other end would be a rocket to push any object off course with Earth!
Humans suck is there any way we can attract more asteroids of the global killer variety?
We could send a crew of roughneck oilfield drillers into space, land on it, drill a hole and drop a bomb down in it. Oh, right, we don’t have space shuttles anymore.
With all the money governments spend in silly, not important or just popular measures… if we dont make a plan/Technology NOW, we deserve to become extinct if an asteroid comes our way. So sad we could really prevent it with the proper political will but still dragging our feet…
The knowledge of an imminent impact is something that the world would need to deal with, given such an impact is likely to be an extinction event means we could do whatever we felt best, and little else. The result would be just the same whatever the world’s response. However researching a solution is a sensible move even if present day technology is inadequate at least we’d have an idea of where we need to look for a world insurance event.
Hey – when humanity’s number is up – it’s up! Mankind is not worth the effort and expense to protect against an apocalyptic event. We’ve had a good run for the last 10,000 years. If a doomsday scenario presents itself, I’d say just let it happen and give nature a another chance to get it right on Earth, if there’s an Earth remaining. Sound harsh? In my opinion, it would take a collision with a man-kind ending result to destroy the evil that prevails in our societies. We, man-kind, cannot do it. We’ve had our chance. Now let nature take its course and wipe the slate clean and start over again.
Hey, I have an idea! The problem with mankind is candy ass whiners like you. Everybody of your mindset should buy a gun, and use it on yourself! That way the rest of us could concentrate on the problem without having to listen to the naysayers like you. People like you infuriate me. You were given life. Either use it to the best of your ability or do us all a favor and off yourself.
I think scientists should work on building a large floating sucker which can create a large vacuum (-ve pressure) and force asteroid to change its trajectory.. ?..
So the plan was to write an article about the plan that doesn’t exist asking for input about a new plan to develop?
So the best plan, is to have no plan at all. Always worked for me.