We have all seen disaster movies where the earth is about to be hit by an asteroid which is large enough to wipe out all life on the planet. Usually a square jawed Hollywood hero is around to save the day at the last moment and we can all live happily ever after. However, with asteroids flying past the Earth every single day, what can be done to save humanity in the event of a giant space rock threatening to obliterate the Earth in real life? That is the question that is being pondered by some of the finest scientific minds on the planet.
After a deadly missile narrowly missed crashing into earth recently, the United Nations has decided to take action. The Association of Space Explorers (ASE) is a recently formed delegation of former astronauts who believe that it is imperative to start cross border talks and plans in order to defend the Earth if the worst comes to the worst. Former NASA astronaut Ed Lu told the gathering of world leaders at the UN:
“There are 100 times more asteroids out there than we have found. There are about 1 million asteroids large enough to destroy New York City or larger. Our challenge is to find these asteroids first, before they find us”.
Fortunately, their pleas have not gone unheard and the UN’s General Assembly has voted to establish an asteroid defence plan. A new international asteroid warning group will be set up to allow member nations to share information, intelligence, and coordinate surveillance efforts in order to gain an as early as possible warning if the Earth turns out to be at threat from Space.
There are many different theories as to how best protect the planet in the face of an asteroid attack. Some scientists favour a more explosive approach by detonating nuclear devices to fragment large asteroids. However, this will obviously run the risk of a huge radiation fallout that may cause more harm than good. Kinetic impact weapons could possibly divert an asteroid, whereas plastic suppliers should be at the ready as one possible solution involves engineering plastics in order to form a defence style shield.
No matter what solutions are agreed upon, whether it be intergalactic ray guns or super strong acrylic plastic, there is no doubt that one of the key factors involved in launching a successful defence bid is to ensure an early warning. In practice, Earth would need roughly 5 to 10 years advance notice in order to construct the proper defensive tools. If the asteroid wasn’t detected early enough, the only option would be to calculate the point of impact and evacuate everybody from the area.
“If we don’t find it until a year out, make yourself a nice cocktail and go out and watch,” quipped astronaut Schweickart.
It is recommended that the UN starts coordinating a realistic program of practice asteroid deflection missions as soon as possible if the Earth is going to survive a major asteroid hit.
About the Author – Sarah Makinson is a freelance blogger who writes for a variety of consumer sites, including AI International.