Skip to comments.
Killer asteroid flattens New York in simulation exercise
Phys.org ^
| 05/04/2019
Posted on 05/04/2019 7:42:52 PM PDT by BenLurkin
Despite a simulated eight years of preparation, scientists and engineers tried but failed to deflect the killer asteroid.
The exercise has become a regular event among the international community of "planetary defense" experts.
The latest edition began Monday near Washington, with the following alert: an asteroid roughly 100 to 300 meters (330 to 1,000 feet) in diameter had been spotted and according to rough calculations had a one percent chance of hitting the Earth on April 29, 2027.
Each day during the conference, some 200 astronomers, engineers and emergency response specialists received new information, made decisions and awaited further updates from the organizers of the game, designed by a NASA aerospace engineer.
As fictional months ticked by in the simulation, the probability of the giant space rock crashing into Earth rose to 10 percentand then to 100 percent.
NASA launched a probe in 2021 to examine the threat up close. In December that year, astronomers confirmed it was headed straight to the Denver area and that the western US city would be destroyed.
The major space powers of the United States, Europe, Russia, China and Japan decided to build six "kinetic impactors"probes meant to hit the asteroid to change its trajectory.
It took time to build the impactors and wait for the right launch window. The impacts were set for August 2024.
Three impactors managed to hit the asteroid. The main body was deflected, but a smaller fragment broke off and continued on a deadly path, this time towards the eastern US.
Washington considered sending a nuclear bomb to deflect the 60-meter rockrepeating a successful strategy that saved Tokyo last yearbut it was crippled by political disagreements.
All that remained was to prepare for impact.
(Excerpt) Read more at phys.org ...
TOPICS: Astronomy; Science
KEYWORDS: asteroid; astronomy; catastrophism; exercise; newyork; science; simulation
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-40, 41-42 next last
1
posted on
05/04/2019 7:42:52 PM PDT
by
BenLurkin
To: SunkenCiv
2
posted on
05/04/2019 7:43:12 PM PDT
by
BenLurkin
(The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
To: BenLurkin
Was anything of value lost? JK. NYC being destroyed would be an economic tragedy.
3
posted on
05/04/2019 7:46:11 PM PDT
by
cdcdawg
(If white, western culture makes you feel out of place, THAT IS BECAUSE IT IS NOT YOUR PLACE!)
To: BenLurkin
If only. Too bad it's only a simulation.
To: BenLurkin
Did these guys watch Sudden Impact last week?
5
posted on
05/04/2019 7:47:16 PM PDT
by
Vermont Lt
(If we get Medicare for all, will we have to show IDs for service?)
To: BenLurkin
Women, children and minorities most impacted.
To: cdcdawg
AND there are some great FReepers there too.
(Hope they have a sense of humor)
7
posted on
05/04/2019 7:47:20 PM PDT
by
BenLurkin
(The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
To: cdcdawg
But we would win the total vote count. Weird how that was the first thought after reading the headline.
8
posted on
05/04/2019 7:47:27 PM PDT
by
BushCountry
(thinks he needs a gal whose name doesn't end in ".jpg")
To: BenLurkin
Lookit. You use a Goauld shuttle to send the thing into hyperspace. Does Samantha Carter have to think of everything? Now, if we can figure out how to just destroy NYC....
9
posted on
05/04/2019 7:48:29 PM PDT
by
Rastus
To: Vermont Lt
10
posted on
05/04/2019 7:50:34 PM PDT
by
BenLurkin
(The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
To: BushCountry
Ha! Nothing wrong with a little realism. As another poster noted, we would lose a few good Freepers. My hope is that they would be spared in some kind of Charlton Heston Omega Man scenario.
11
posted on
05/04/2019 7:53:36 PM PDT
by
cdcdawg
(If white, western culture makes you feel out of place, THAT IS BECAUSE IT IS NOT YOUR PLACE!)
To: Rastus
12
posted on
05/04/2019 7:54:13 PM PDT
by
BenLurkin
(The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
To: cdcdawg
but it was crippled by political disagreements.
It is going to hit the USA, NO ONE is going to interrupt our methods of prevention it from happening.
13
posted on
05/04/2019 7:57:01 PM PDT
by
Rumplemeyer
(The GOP should stand its ground - and fix Bayonets)
To: BenLurkin
14
posted on
05/04/2019 7:57:07 PM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
(Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
To: BenLurkin
"Washington considered sending a nuclear bomb to deflect the 60-meter rockrepeating a successful strategy that saved Tokyo last year
but it was crippled by political disagreements. "
Accurate simulation.
15
posted on
05/04/2019 8:00:53 PM PDT
by
Kirkwood
(Zombie Hunter)
To: BenLurkin
Simulations don’t provide adequate training exercises. America deserves better!
16
posted on
05/04/2019 8:01:25 PM PDT
by
TigersEye
(This is the age of the death of reason.)
To: Rumplemeyer
If its hitting is a certainty, then the Deep State is probably not to blame. So there’s that.
17
posted on
05/04/2019 8:03:07 PM PDT
by
cdcdawg
(If white, western culture makes you feel out of place, THAT IS BECAUSE IT IS NOT YOUR PLACE!)
To: cdcdawg
I would suggest about 230 miles to the Southwest of NYC.
(Just make sure Trump and his family are evacuated, first)
18
posted on
05/04/2019 8:04:09 PM PDT
by
dfwgator
(Endut! Hoch Hech!)
To: MIchaelTArchangel
“hardest hit” would work too.
19
posted on
05/04/2019 8:24:58 PM PDT
by
Secret Agent Man
(Gone Galt; Not Averse to Going Bronson.)
To: BenLurkin
I may need a ride off this rock.
20
posted on
05/04/2019 8:41:33 PM PDT
by
EasySt
(Say not this is the truth, but so it seems to me to be, as I see this thing I think I see #KAG)
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-40, 41-42 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson