Tiny Satellite Set To Hunt Asteroids

coondoggie writes "Canadian scientists are developing a 143-lb microsatellite to detect and track near-earth asteroids and comets, as well as satellites and space junk. The suitcase-sized Near Earth Object Surveillance Satellite includes a 6-inch diameter telescope, smaller than most amateur astronomers' scopes, that by being located 435 miles above the Earth's atmosphere will be able to detect moving asteroids delivering as few as 50 photons of light in a 100-second exposure. The NEOSSat will twist and turn hundreds of times each day, orbiting from pole to pole every 50 minutes, almost always in sunlight. The telescope has a sunshade that allows searching the sky to within 45 degrees of the Sun, in order to detect near-Earth asteroids whose orbits are entirely inside Earth's." The probe was announced a few days before the 100th anniversary of the Tunguska blast.

Comments

Beee Vewwy Vewwy Quiet...

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm huntin' asteeroids.

There is hope

[Anonymous Meoward]

Any technology that can promise to shoot Bruce Willis into space one day is worth pursuing.

(Just get Steve Buscemi back please.)

Re:There is hope

[elrous0]

I'm sorry, I can't morally support any government project that leaves Bruce Willis in space but allows Ben Affleck to return.

Insert coin

[Applekid]

Once the satellite is equipped with a gun, it can shoot the big asteroids into two smaller ones, and each of those asteroids into two even smaller ones. Hitting the smallest ones will make them disappear.

Re:Insert coin

[FlyingSquidStudios]

Sadly, that only works when the asteroids are two-dimensional and hollow. However, the threat of randomly shooting flying saucers is now negligible.

Re:Insert coin

[drinkypoo]

Just shoot them with a four-dimensional projectile, from whose perspective they are two-dimensional and hollow. YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND TIME CUBE!

Re:Insert coin

[Chris Pimlott]

Scientists have released an interactive computer simulation demonstrating how the new system would work.

This is absolutely not approved

[Daimanta]

by the PETA. People for Ethical Treatment of Asteroids.

Not Yet

[FurtiveGlancer]

I checked the Periodic table and couldn't find Klingonium (Kg). I believe it will be discovered somewhere in the 160-190 range of atomic numbers as a metaloid with an irregular "ridged" f orbit electron pair. Mark my words...

Re:Real numbers

[SBacks]

The telescope has a sunshade that allows searching the sky to within 45 degrees of the Sun,

Don't you mean 0.785398 radians?

Damned Canadians are taking over the solar system!

[mr_nazgul]

Step 1) Find NEO's
Step 2) Plant Canadian Flag on NEO's for future mining.
Step 3) Canadian Profit!

I'd totally play that game.

[Kingrames]

I can just picture it, the final boss shows up...

"That's no space station..."