Deflecting Asteroids with Paint

schnippy writes: "Researchers at the University of Arizona have calculated that small earth-crossing asteroids can be deflected by "coating them with a layer of white paint or dust." This finding won't be of much help against the larger doomsday asteroids (like the recently discovered 1950 DA) but it will help deflate military proposals to use nuclear weapons to deflect potentially hazardous asteroids."

Comments

Re: Rate of change

[Raetsel]

Interesting choice...

1. A small rate of change over a very long time

   (OR)

2. A rapid change close to the point when change is needed

We see these types of things happen all the time -- notably on 'real life' cop shows. Either you steer early and avoid an obstacle, or you yank the wheel at the last second, lose traction, and skid into oblivion anyway.

I'll take the first choice, thanks. That way we can know earlier whether it's working or not, and take extra steps if necessary.

Re: Rate of change

[Perdo]

I fully agree, but since an asteroid's orbit cannot be accurately predicted to "earth hit or miss" accuracy greater than about 20 years in advance, that little nudge may be the nudge that causes the asteroid to hit instead of miss. Strapping one of these magnetic bubble solar sails would alter an asteroid's orbit so drasticly, even on late notice, and be steerable to boot, that they make painting the surface white pale by comparison (pardon the pun).

Same theory, more active approach and to paint it would still require a launch, intercept, and application of device, be it paint or a giant magnetic field. The best part is a system like this could be used to steer an earth crosser into earth orbit, providing plenty of zero G raw materials for future missions.

Re: One (slightly used) asteroid

[Perdo]

God, I like how you think, even if we are on different sides of the T(H)GSB fence.

What he is talking about folks, is the bigger the counterweight, The bigger payload your space elevator could carry, without needing a thicker teather toward the top. Also it enables construction by lowering strings from orbit, because there is something nice sized in orbit to teather to. This is especially important for the first strand, that will be too weak initially to support any weight at all, and certainly not the weight of an entire other strand.

Use a Laser

[AeiwiMaster]

Why not use a laser to heat
the surface of the asteroid,
This will create a hot plasma jet which
will alter the trajectory of the asteroid.