NASA draws up plans for nuke-packing asteroid interceptor

NASA has (thankfully) been working on various asteroid diverting measures for some time now, but the agency apparently still isn't satisfied with its options, and it's now showing off its newest bit of potential world-saving technology. Designed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, this latest system would consist of six missile-like interceptor vehicles that would launch aboard an Ares V cargo launch vehicle, each carrying with them a 1.2-megaton B83 nuclear warhead. That, NASA says, should be enough to deflect an asteroid the size of the Apophis asteroid that's expected to pass within the orbit of the Earth and the Moon in April of 2029. So as not to make the problem even worse, the warheads apparently wouldn't actually strike the asteroid directly, but instead detonate at a distance of one-third of its diameter, generating a force that would (theoretically) deflect the asteroid out of the Earth's path.

[Via Slashdot]

[Jacob Kennedy @ Aug 8th 2007 4:59PM]

Good. I don't think Bruce Willis will be able to save us in another 21 years.

[g.Park @ Aug 8th 2007 5:27PM]

Bruce Willis will always be there to save us.

[Tacticus @ Aug 8th 2007 6:14PM]

You mean RDA right?

[Andrew Fong @ Aug 8th 2007 11:08PM]

No, we just need Chuck Norris.

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Aug 9th 2007 4:01AM]

NASA has already had one sucessful run at this. About two years ago in a test, they managed to lob explosives at an comet and hit it right where they wanted it to.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4728502
http://deepimpact.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm
http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&q=nasa+%22Tempel+1%22+%22deep+impact%22&btnG=Search

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Aug 9th 2007 4:07AM]

I am limited to the number of links I can post, so here is video of the "Deep Impact Project" that smashed a probe into "Tempel 1".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eIY_9u-p0g

[Larry @ Aug 9th 2007 10:13AM]

Sounds like the plot of Space Cowboys... except that NASA is targetting 'asteroids.' Suuuuuure.

[Shaun MacLean @ Aug 8th 2007 5:04PM]

I had a dream about this, only two nights ago.

I'm freaked out, now.

Only not really.

[AlexP @ Aug 8th 2007 5:06PM]

hay guys is dat an ion cannon I'm seein thar?

[Jon @ Aug 8th 2007 5:20PM]

Does this smack of 'Space Cowboys' to anyone else?

[Alex @ Aug 8th 2007 5:50PM]

I was thinking Armageddon.

[strider_mt2k @ Aug 8th 2007 6:23PM]

I think many of us are actually.

OH the MOVIE!
Yeah, that too.

[Dr. C @ Aug 9th 2007 5:38PM]

NUKE-PACKING ASTEROIDS?!?!?!? OH F@CK!!!!

What'll you g0ddamn russkies think of next???

[Ray-- @ Aug 8th 2007 5:13PM]

"asteroid intercepting" nukes in space... yeah thats it... asteriods... pay no attention to the nukes floating in space above your country... they are there for your protection...

[Andrew @ Aug 8th 2007 5:19PM]

Reagan Lives...

[scabies @ Aug 8th 2007 5:23PM]

Brilliance! If we want to nuke someone, we can just have NASA do it. FOR SCIENCE!

Anyone want to whine about environmental effects from detonating something outside of our atmosphere? Or have a good idea what it would do (or look like :D?)

I, for one, am somewhat excited. I'll probably be around when that happens.

[Eric @ Aug 8th 2007 5:42PM]

Nuclear warheads have, indeed, been detonated in the upper reaches of the Earth's atmosphere. The detonations were performed as tests, but are no longer carried out because of the far reaching ill effects of detonating a nuclear warhead in the atmosphere. Nuclear detonations in the upper atmosphere do create quite a show. 'Stuff' in the atmosphere gets ionized and turns the sky pretty colors.

[Josh @ Aug 8th 2007 5:43PM]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Starfish

[Eric @ Aug 8th 2007 5:46PM]

I guess I didn't quite get to your question. Nuclear detonations outside of the Earth's atmosphere would be less dangerous than atmospheric explosions, although it would still not be something you'd want to do every day. Also, it should be noted that the detonations would occur far from the earth. To be at all effective, NASA's plan would have to be carried out years in advance. See my comment below. The nuclear blasts probably wouldn't effect us at all. And even if they did, I'd rather have geostationary satellites break and communications interrupted than have the Earth get clobbered.

[John Doe @ Aug 8th 2007 11:41PM]

Do you have any concept of the deferences between atmospheric reentry and flight through space with something like this? No? Pity or you would realize that something designed to impact an asteroid would, in all likelihood, burn up as it entered Earth's atmosphere.

I love the people on Engadget. Short on basic common sense. Long on idiotic posts.

[dave-o @ Aug 8th 2007 7:40PM]

yay...let's hope there isnt an accident during ascent stage that would force self-destruct and resultant radioactive plutonium fallout from what would essentially be a VERY dirty-bomb detonated at altitude. yikes!

[R. C. @ Aug 8th 2007 8:08PM]

Of all the things you're worried about, it's that? There is much worse to be afraid of, like getting annoyed by nukes in orbit.

[Aaron @ Aug 8th 2007 5:28PM]

I'm obiviously missing something because those NASA guys should be smarter than me, but how does a nuclear weapon work in space. I was under the impression that most of the damage caused was by overpressure as the air rushed away from the explosion. There is no air in space, so how does this work? Serious answers appreciated, but working Bruce Willis into the example will give extra points.

[mr nimblewick @ Aug 8th 2007 5:33PM]

Haven't you heard of space air?

[Eric @ Aug 8th 2007 5:39PM]

The radiation generated by the nuclear warhead heats up one half of the asteroid, which causes the surface of the asteriod to vaporize. The vaporized ejecta either slow down or speed up the asteroid through Newton's 3rd law, enough to cause it to miss the Earth. Typically, a velocity change of an order of magnitude of 1 cm/s is enough, over the course of a few years, to save the Earth.

[Chad @ Aug 8th 2007 7:13PM]

In a nuclear explosion you have the concussion blast but you also have an enormous release of energy which can travel trough a vacuum. I am assuming they are betting on the energy from 6 of these things to be enough to move it. If they are able to intercept it far enough out then it will not take as much to nudge it off its course, again in theory or Hollywood.

[HyperHacker @ Aug 8th 2007 7:02PM]

"There is no air in space"
There's an Aaronspace museum.

[Todd @ Aug 8th 2007 5:32PM]

Apophis, the Destroyer.

Patron of: evil and darkness.

Appearance: a great serpent or crocodile.

Description: Apophis was the ancient spirit of evil and destruction who dwelled in eternal darkness. Every day he would attempt to devour the Sun Boat of Ra as it sailed the heavens. Set's original role was to battle Apophis and keep him from destroying the boat. Occasionally, Apophis would succeed, and the world would be plunged into darkness. But Set and his companion Mehen would cut a hole in Apophis's belly to allow the Sun Boat to escape.

Apophis commanded an army of demons that plagued mankind. Only by putting faith in the gods of light could people defeat the demons.

Every year, a ritual called the "Banishing of Apophis" would be held by the priests of Ra. They would take an effigy of Apophis and in the center of the temple they would pray that all the wickedness in Egypt would go into the effigy. Then they would trample the effigy, crush it, beat it with sticks, pour mud on it, and eventually burn and destroy it. In this way, the power of Apophis would be curtailed for another year.

Worship: Not worshipped. Ever.

source:http://www.touregypt.net/godsofegypt/apep.htm

[TVGenius @ Aug 8th 2007 6:13PM]

Better get SG-1 working on this if he's involved.

[daRock1212 @ Aug 8th 2007 6:09PM]

Apophis is attacking Earth again? Guess what NASA, I'm not buying this "asteroid" story again...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Within_the_Serpent%27s_Grasp_%28Stargate_SG-1%29

[mike @ Aug 8th 2007 6:43PM]

Wouldent it be funny if there was an astroid which was going to pass dangerously close to earth, so the nasa scientists launch this to deflect the astroid. But they discover their calculations are off, and infact cause the astroid to veer towards earth, dooming man kind.

That would be quite Ironic, and we would all die :P

[Ignatius @ Aug 8th 2007 7:31PM]

Hey, we wouldn't have time to blame them and at the very least, we'd stop bickering about gas prices.

[kyle1193 @ Aug 9th 2007 5:22AM]

you would think they have back ups

[alex @ Aug 8th 2007 8:29PM]

Is Sean Connery designing the satellite and will it be called Hercules?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079550/plotsummary

[Forest @ Aug 8th 2007 11:12PM]

Fallout 4?

[hypereric @ Aug 8th 2007 9:32PM]

"1.2-megaton B83 nuclear warhead" ... that's all? each of these are crowd pleasers in their own right, here on earth. But didn't the Russians do 80-100 megaton tests back in the day? Their design allowed for up to 200 megatons, but didn't they back off because of worries of blowing a hole in the atmosphere?

Well, if an asteriod is coming at is, I for one would want to see multiple 100-200 megaton bombs heading toward it, not little 4th of July blackcats (in context). If nothing else, it would make a pretty fireworks show before the asteriod decimatd all life as we know it. A pair of welder's goggles, a 6... nah, make that 12 pack of beer, and a lawnchair. Good times.

[John Doe @ Aug 8th 2007 11:44PM]

You didn't bother to read the article did you? People don't seem to get the concept that this isn't Hollywood. You don't blow this shit up. You shift its orbit gradually until it passes us. this is why its paramount that we learn where these things are well before they get anywhere near us.

[Kal-El @ Aug 8th 2007 9:33PM]

Oh, it THEORETICALLY intercepts asteroids? Yeah, i'm relieved now. I'm still trying to get over the fact that a few years from now, a giant nuke could be floating above my house

[alex @ Aug 8th 2007 9:39PM]

errr as oppose to a few years from now when the North Koreans will "THEORETICALLY" have intercontinental ballistic nukes aimed at your house.

[thor @ Aug 9th 2007 2:49AM]

"errr as oppose to a few years from now when the North Koreans will "THEORETICALLY" have intercontinental ballistic nukes aimed at your house"

Read more international news and you'll find out that not only is N Korea not a threat, but they've halted their nuclear program, which was then certified as such by independents.

[Jacob Kennedy @ Oct 31st 2007 12:14PM]

No offense, thor, but what's reported in the news and what is really going on in the world are two vastly different things. I think we've got more to worry about from people who hate westerners than we do from NASA screwing up. It seems that the enemies of the west screw up very infrequently.

[Kamokazi @ Aug 8th 2007 11:19PM]

Keep in mind, nukes are actually difficult to detonate. Essentially they have to hurl two chunks of plutonium at eachother at precisely the right time. If they timing is off ever so slightly, they will not detonate. Having plutonium fall out of the sky and into your house would kinda suck and be dangerous, but not kill-the-whole-town dangerous. The charges that propel the plutonium may go boom though.

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Aug 9th 2007 3:47AM]

NASA has already had one sucessful run at this. About two years ago in a test, they managed to lob explosives at an asteroid and hit it right where they wanted it to.

[MACPollo @ Aug 9th 2007 3:53AM]

Taking into account how the world is developing, the environmental threats we are causing, half of the world population starvation, fanatic terrorists blasting people in the name of ridiculous beliefs, wars that kill thousands every week, and public attention more focused on Paris Hilton last stupid idiot affaire than on these tragedies, I would not rule out this project's failure and a consequent asteroid impact as a good idea.

[eberan @ Aug 9th 2007 5:29AM]

Wernher von Braun predicted this. It's only the beginning.

[Dr Buzz0 @ Aug 9th 2007 12:46PM]

Probably a good idea:

I've heard schemes for diverting asteroids using gravity based "tractor beams" or solar sails or small pusher motors. I have always favored the nuke idea because while it may be brute force, it's the simplest way and packs the biggest "bang."

A nuclear explosive is the most high energy technology mankind has and is likely to have for some time. I'd rather push an asteroid way further than needed off course than not far enough.

[shadow underg @ Aug 10th 2007 12:01AM]

Godspeed Nasa. This is one of those times when I don't mind my tax money going into a worthy project.

[Me!!! @ Aug 12th 2007 2:54PM]

will this force of the nuclear explosion alter the earth/moon's orbits?