Engineers Working On Swarm Of Laser Wielding Satellites To Deflect Asteroids 114
Zothecula writes with news involving space and lasers. From the article: "A collision between Earth and an asteroid a few kilometers in diameter would release as much energy as the simultaneous detonation of several million nuclear bombs, and with the impact of an asteroid estimated at around 10 km (6.2 miles) in diameter believed to be responsible for wiping out the dinosaurs, numerous strategies have been devised to try and avoid such devastation. The latest idea comes from engineers at Glasgow's University of Strathclyde who suggest that a swarm of laser-wielding satellites could nudge Earth-bound asteroids off their collision course."
Re:Government promises to only use them for astero (Score:4, Interesting)
Lasers are just a way to transfer energy and the only energy those satellites will have comes from a few solar panels. It would be too weak to pose a threat to even a single human. It could theoretically be used for targeting though.
Re:Government promises to only use them for astero (Score:4, Interesting)
If you look at the details, which would include the mass and velocity of the asteroid in question, you'll understand. The mass and fuel needed for such a "tug" satellite would be directly proportional and not possibly to launch, much less have extra fuel to maneuver over to the target, etc.
They asteroids in question only look small and slow because of the incomprehensible size and emptiness of the background. That is, lack of a good reference point.
http://www.brighthub.com/science/space/articles/64710.aspx [brighthub.com]