NASA plans to launch study of asteroid that could destroy Earth (Bennu in 2135 scenario)

New York Post ^ | 7/31/15 | Eileen AJ Connelly

[NormsRevenge]

Paging Bruce Willis!

NASA is planning to launch a probe to study an asteroid that could one day pulverize the Earth.

The asteroid, named Bennu, crosses Earth’s orbit once every six years and has gotten ever closer since it was discovered in 1999, astronomers told the Sunday Times of London (paywall).

In 2135, Bennu will fly between the moon and Earth — a hair’s breadth in space terms, the Times reported. That’s so close that gravity from the Earth could effect Bennu’s orbit, “potentially putting it on course for the Earth later that century,” said Dante Lauretta, a professor of planetary science at Arizona University.

Bennu is about 1,600 feet in diameter and travels around the sun at an average of 63,000 mph.

The chance of an impact is small but significant, and if it happens, would be equivalent to triggering 3 billion tons of high explosive, 200 times the strength of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

[wally_bert]

Judson Scott must be planning to live a long time.

[LibWhacker]

2135? If democrats win and muslims conquer us like ‘rats want them to, I hope it hits us, and brings all its friends.

[Political Junkie Too]

You know how these things always turn out... the probe sent to "study" the asteroid goes awry and causes the asteroid to head directly towards earth.

-PJ

[Purdue77]

That’s why the alien overlords put the moon in orbit around the earth; to collect all of those pesky asteroids.

[cmj328]

Between the earth and the moon is not a hair’s breadth - the earth is about 8,000 miles “wide” and the distance to the moon is almost 240,000 miles.

It’s like a bullet flying within 30 feet of you - scary, to be sure, but not a hair’s breadth.

[Organic Panic]

I'LL BE BACK!!!

[sportutegrl]

Vote SMOD.

[MIchaelTArchangel]

I would rather someone launch a sturdy of the human hemorrhoids such as Dannel Malloy (Governor of Connect-it-kooks) and others like him who are ruining this part of the work right now!

[Rebelbase]

“The chance of an impact is small but significant, and if it happens, would be equivalent to triggering 3 billion tons of high explosive, 200 times the strength of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.”

21.3891° N, 39.8579° E

[TexasRepublic]

What me worry?

[fieldmarshaldj]

*ping*

[hattend]

Sounds like a good study subject for the next 120 years.

Lots of grant money to be had!

[hattend]

Al Gore stated that we only have five years left fifteen years ago.

Yeah, he said that 20 years ago.

[Know et al]

I stand corrected.

[SunkenCiv]

Note: this topic was posted 7/31/2016. Thanks NormsRevenge.

Near-Earth Asteroid Bennu

[BenLurkin]

Nice!