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ESA Selects Targets for Asteroid Deflection Test

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the these-aren't-your-grandfather's-windmills dept.

Vandil X writes "The European Space Agency has announced that it has selected two candidate asteroid targets for a planned mission to impact an asteroid in an attempt to deflect the asteroid off course by a measurable amount. The mission, dubbed "Don Quijote," will send two spacecraft to their final choice asteroid. One craft will impact the asteroid while the other will observe the asteroid before and after the collision. The mission craft and target selection are expected to be finalized sometime in 2007."

2 of 284 comments (clear)

  1. its good to know the ESA is looking out for earth by doormat · · Score: 0, Troll

    Coz all my govt cares about is blowing other people's nukes out of the sky.

    --
    The Doormat

    If you're not outraged, then you're not paying attention.
  2. Re:Dateline 27 September 2159 by TekPolitik · · Score: 0, Troll
    That's preposterous. If we have the ability to deflect an asteroid in 2008, surely we have the ability to do so in 2159.

    Not when you factor in the likely effect of certain White House policies - if WWIII doesn't get us, and global infrastructure survives climate change well enough to support continued space flight, then scientists are likely to be burned at the stake as heretics in the new dark ages.