NASA’s asteroid mission to Apophis: Key for Earth’s defense

The Hill ^ | February 14, 2025 | Jim Bridenstine and Bill Nye,

[dagunk]

Ca we aim it?
Can we pick targets?
If we can split it in two I have a couple targets in mind.

Old Detroit Democrat buddy and I decided DC needed nuked. Asteroid would be better - no radiation hazard. He’s gone so he would miss the show.

The other target? Brussels Belgium. Do the Euros a favor.

[Red Badger]

Oh, you mean like using 3.14 for Pi instead of 3.1415926535897932384626433..............

[SunkenCiv]

It’s just the radical a-hole Bowtie Bill Nye whining about some pre-Trump budget cuts and beating drums about not cutting it.

[SuperLuminal]

"Oh, you mean like using 3.14 for Pi instead of 3.1415926535897932384626433.............."

Or, like using apples for Pi instead of pecans..............
😎

[Ancesthntr]

If you blast it, a bunch is likely to get sucked into Earth’s gravity well and land on us. Many smaller catastrophes is not a desired outcome when the probability of a big catastrophe is in the hundredths of a percent.

I will say it again, I think that in a few decades, we will be in a position of knowing everything that could possibly pose a danger to Earth, as well as being able to move or blast them out of the way, as may be appropriate in any given scenario. We will have many bases in near Earth orbit, probably several in geosynchronous orbit, some on the Moon and something on Mars. Between all of those, we will be able to see lots more and reach lots more than we currently are able to do. In my mind, it is pretty likely that AI will take care of this for us without us having to do much, if anything, until the problem has been solved.

[SunkenCiv]

The rest of the keyword, sorted:

• The Truth About Apophis [11/25/2024]
• 'God of Chaos' asteroid Apophis could still hit Earth in 2029, study hints -- but we won't know for 3 more years [09/12/2024]
• Zero chance of potential city-killer asteroid 'Apophis' smashing into Earth in 2029, new study confirms [03/08/2024]
• NASA launches spacecraft to intercept asteroid known as "God of Chaos" as it passes uncomfortably close to Earth [12/27/2023]
• NASA and HAARP conclude asteroid experiment [01/01/2023]
• Planetary Defense Exercise Uses Apophis as Hazardous Asteroid Stand-In [06/01/2022]
• Apophis: What you should know about the asteroid skimming by Earth in 2029 [10/12/2021]
• Scientists prepare for their last good look at asteroid Apophis before 2029 flyby [02/12/2021]
• Asteroid Apophis Could Still Hit Earth in 2068, New Measurements Suggest [10/28/2020]
• This asteroid has a 1 in 40 chance of hitting earth in 2029, it could also hit in 2036. [03/14/2020]
• Large asteroid will sweep by earth in 2029, almost colliding [02/09/2020]
• Despite Elon Musk's...tweet about an asteroid hitting Earth, NASA says there is no known threat [08/20/2019]
• On International Asteroid Day, here's what to know about the threat to Earth [06/30/2019]
• God of Chaos Asteroid Apophis is Headed for Earth -- and NASA is Excited [04/30/2019]
• Impact of asteroid that will approach Earth in 2029 'CANNOT be ruled out' [but pretty much no] [07/06/2018]
• Asteroid that could've obliterated NYC skimmed past Earth -- and NASA didn't notice [12/08/2017]
• Russian scientists plan to upgrade their nuclear missiles so they can shoot down meteorites... [02/14/2016]
• Asteroid Apophis Just Got Supersized [02/09/2014]
• Apophis asteroid: Large space rock flies past Earth [01/09/2013]
• Using a solar sail to deflect an earth-destroying asteroid [08/17/2011]
• Fact following fiction? Scientists plan mission to blow up an asteroid 'hurtling towards Earth' [08/17/2011]
• Doomsday Determined? Asteroid Apophis Could Strike Earth in 2036 [02/10/2011]
• Will Apophis Hit Earth in 2036? NASA Rejects Russian Report [02/07/2011]
• Cosmo-nuts vs. the asteroid: The Russians are planning a space mission to save Earth [01/04/2010]
• Nasa 'short of money to watch asteroids heading to Earth' [08/12/2009]
• Incoming Asteroid Under Close Watch (in 2029) [04/13/2009]
• Scientists tasked with finding, deflecting 'killer asteroid' [12/18/2008]
• Killer asteroid predictions 'off by millions of miles' [07/15/2008]
• German schoolboy, 13, corrects NASA's asteroid figures: paper [04/16/2008]
• German schoolboy, 13, corrects NASA's asteroid figures: paper [04/15/2008]
• Asteroid Threat Demands Response, Experts Warn [02/17/2007]
• Astronaut Seeks Craft to Bump Asteroids [01/23/2007]
• The Asteroid Threat is Out There [01/10/2007]
• Risk Of Asteroid Smashing Into Earth Reduced (Apophis) [05/22/2006]
• Action urged to deal with asteroid likely to hit Earth (Please read and respond to my comment) [12/09/2005]
• Apophis and Us (NY Times Editorial staff forgets to take Trazodone) [08/03/2005]
• Asteroid With Chance of Hitting Earth in 2029 Now Being Watched 'Very Carefully' (1 in 43 odds) [12/26/2004]
• Scientist: Asteroid May Hit Earth in 2029 [12/23/2004]

[Paul R.]

If you blast the ‘roid (sounds like a name for a really vile punk rock band), the pieces will virtually all be on a new / different vector. Assuming the asteroid was on course to hit the Earth or pass very close by, so long as you hit it correctly at a respectable distance*, the redirected fragments will miss the Earth.

*Space is really BIG. Out by the asteroid belt should be fine. The orbit of Jupiter might be better, as Jupiter would tend to harvest the fragments over time. Plus, should the mission fail, there might be time for a 2nd attempt.