[Southack]

"A totally irrellevent and useless experiment conducted at the public expense."

Untrue, and uninformed.

This experiment is yet another confirmation in another technical realm that we can intercept high-speed objects (the comet is traveling several times faster than the fastest manmade ICBM). So for missile-defense, it has value.

Likewise, learning precisely how far we can tweak the orbits of large objects is valuable, as is learning more about the composition of comets, especially should we need to alter or destroy one some day (e.g. one on an Earth impact trajectory).

You have to start somewhere, after all.

[Heatseeker]

Dear leaders of Syria, Iran, and North Korea. Other countires celebrate their independence days with fireworks. We celebrate ours by blowing up part of the Solar System. ;)

[A6M3]

This isn't a viable experiment for ICBM interception due partly to the size of the target. That's why we have missle interception tests over the pacific (which I totally support). As far as comets or astroids hitting the earth, I'll put my money on the good Lord, not NASA.