Such an enormous responsibility might explain why some astronauts carry 2 lb sledges around on their persons and rapidly drive at night looking for falling stars. (I've seen less credible defense strategies...;^)
Posted on 02/17/2007 8:31:38 AM PST by Loyalist
A draft UN treaty to determine what would have to be done if a giant asteroid was on a collision course with Earth is to be drawn up this year.
The document would set out global policies including who should be in charge of plans to deflect any object.
It is the brainchild of the Association of Space Explorers, a professional body for astronauts and cosmonauts.
At the moment, Nasa is monitoring 127 near-Earth objects (NEO) that have a possibility of hitting the Earth.
The association has asked a group of scientists, lawyers, diplomats and insurance experts to draw up the recommendations.
The group will have its first meeting in Strasbourg in May this year. It is hoped the final document will be presented to the UN in 2009.
"We believe there needs to be a decision process spelled out and adopted by the United Nations," said Dr Russell Schweickart, one of the Apollo 9 astronauts and founder of the Association of Space Explorers.
Known threat
The threat of an asteroid hitting the Earth is being taken more and more seriously as more and more NEOs are found.
In the US, Congress has charged Nasa with the task of starting a more detailed search for life-threatening space rocks.
"Congress has said that Nasa's efforts to date are not sufficient to the threat," said the US space agency's Dr Steven Chesley.
"They have changed Nasa's targets so that the cataloguing and tracking of asteroids is part of its mandate."
Congress has asked the agency to mount a much more aggressive survey.
At the moment, Nasa tracks all objects greater than 700m (2,300ft) in diameter. The agency's new goal is to track all objects greater than 70m (230ft) in diameter.
To do this, the agency needs to use a new suite of telescopes.
Alternatives include building a new Nasa-owned system or investing in other proposed telescopes such as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) or the Panoramic Survey Telescope & Rapid Response System (Pan-Starrs).
Pan-Starrs is a wide-field telescope being developed at the University of Hawaii, whilst the LSST is a proposed ground-based instrument being developed by the not-for-profit LSST corporation based in the US.
Nasa estimates that there are about 20,000 potentially threatening asteroids yet to be discovered.
"Out of those thousands, there will be without question many that look like they might hit the Earth with a high enough probability that the public and everyone else will be concerned," said Dr Schweickart.
"This has gone from being an esoteric statistical argument to talking about real events," added Dr David Morrison, an astronomer at the Nasa's Ames Research Center.
Future plans
The UN draft treaty would establish who should be in charge in the event of an asteroid heading towards Earth, who would pay for relief efforts and the policies that should be adopted.
In addition, it would set out possible plans to deflect the object.
Ideas could include hitting the asteroid with a spacecraft or rocket to deflect its orbit.
Other less destructive proposals include a "gravity tug" that would simply hover over the asteroid and use gravity as a "towline" to change its path.
But any decision to deflect an NEO could come with its own set of conundrums for the UN, as changing its path may simply alter its final target.
"It's important to understand when you start to deflect an asteroid that certain countries are going to have accept an increase in risk to their populations in order to take the risk to zero for everyone," said Dr Schweickart.
It is difficult decisions like this which can only be addressed by the UN, the Association of Space Explorers believes.
And it is under no illusion that the process can be sorted out quickly.
"You have to act when things look like they are going to happen - if you wait until you know for certain, it's too late," said Dr Schweickart.
Experts who will draw up the treaty include Lord Rees, the English Astronomer Royal and head of the Royal Society; the ex-director of science at the European Space Agency, Roger Bonnet; and former UK government advisor Sir Crispin Tickell.
The proposals were outlined at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) annual meeting in San Francisco, US.
Big ones are very rare. The smaller, the more frequent. So, with 99.9% probability it would be something like Tunguska. And I could imagine quite a bunch from the UN whose places such an event would serve just right.
I will possibly begin to consider a potential threat of global warming the same day all these headline grabbing alarmists start having their confabs by teleconference. As it is, each big confab with all the players jetting in probably produces more "greenhouse emissions" in a day than most third world countries can in a year. Come on guys, what do you think Algore invented the internet for? Get some running shoes, buy a bike, keep a bumbershoot handy, live it or stop preaching it.
That it's not even remotely financially feasible relative to earth mining may have something to do with it.
Such an enormous responsibility might explain why some astronauts carry 2 lb sledges around on their persons and rapidly drive at night looking for falling stars. (I've seen less credible defense strategies...;^)
If this is a paid position, I want in. I spent over a quarter century in the insurance industry. I have zip to offer to the equation which makes me the equal to just about everyone else on the list. Still, I've been looking for the gravy train all my life, and this may be it.
The group will have its first meeting in Strasbourg in May this year. It is hoped the final document will be presented to the UN in 2009.
To whom do I submit my expense account, and where can I get an advance?
"We believe there needs to be a decision process spelled out and adopted by the United Nations," said Dr Russell Schweickart, one of the Apollo 9 astronauts and founder of the Association of Space Explorers.
Apollo 9? I guess I sort of remember the name. It's pretty obvious NASA wasn't (isn't) above hiring wind bags in those days.
The threat of an asteroid hitting the Earth is being taken more and more seriously as more and more NEOs are found.
If we make it to breakfast tomorrow it's a miracle.
In the US, Congress has charged Nasa with the task of starting a more detailed search for life-threatening space rocks.
Forget NASA. Put McCain on it.
"Congress has said that Nasa's efforts to date are not sufficient to the threat," said the US space agency's Dr Steven Chesley.
It's time to clean house.
At the moment, Nasa tracks all objects greater than 700m (2,300ft) in diameter. The agency's new goal is to track all objects greater than 70m (230ft) in diameter.
Let me see if I have this straight. NASA is going to track Rosie O'Donnell and Al Gore?
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