What can we do about Bennu?

[henry quirk]

You can't catch it.
Because...
Mass: 78 billion kg
Average orbital speed: 28.0 km/s

I've caught it - on paper, I've solved the problem insofar as my knowledge allows. Started thinking about it, detour via comedy central himself, thought about it some more, solved it! The answer to "What can we do about Bennu?" is:

"Attach a solar sail to the magnesite chunk - if that's what it is, like a parachute creating drag, the rubble will keep going, the thing will break apart, and the chute will slow the main magnesite piece for entry into earth orbit."

Thanks for your somewhat belated vote of confidence, but I've answered the question to my satisfaction, using feasible technological solutions. And I know I'll be dead by 2135, but we have to start thinking about this now. I mean, look how they dragged their feet on solving climate change!

2135

I'll be 173...yeah, I ain't sweatin' it.

[Vitruvius]

You can't catch it.
Because...
Mass: 78 billion kg
Average orbital speed: 28.0 km/s

I've caught it - on paper, I've solved the problem insofar as my knowledge allows. Started thinking about it, detour via comedy central himself, thought about it some more, solved it! The answer to "What can we do about Bennu?" is:

"Attach a solar sail to the magnesite chunk - if that's what it is, like a parachute creating drag, the rubble will keep going, the thing will break apart, and the chute will slow the main magnesite piece for entry into earth orbit."

Thanks for your somewhat belated vote of confidence, but I've answered the question to my satisfaction, using feasible technological solutions. And I know I'll be dead by 2135, but we have to start thinking about this now. I mean, look how they dragged their feet on solving climate change!

2135

I'll be 173...yeah, I ain't sweatin' it.

Good for you then!

[Impenitent]

don't worry, utopia will be eliminated in 2112

-Imp

[Sculptor]

You can't catch it.
Because...
Mass: 78 billion kg
Average orbital speed: 28.0 km/s

I've caught it - on paper, I've solved the problem insofar as my knowledge allows. Started thinking about it, detour via comedy central himself, thought about it some more, solved it! The answer to "What can we do about Bennu?" is:

"Attach a solar sail to the magnesite chunk - if that's what it is, like a parachute creating drag, the rubble will keep going, the thing will break apart, and the chute will slow the main magnesite piece for entry into earth orbit."

Thanks for your somewhat belated vote of confidence, but I've answered the question to my satisfaction, using feasible technological solutions. And I know I'll be dead by 2135, but we have to start thinking about this now. I mean, look how they dragged their feet on solving climate change!

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=33424

28 kilometers per SECOND FFS.
78 million tonnes

[Vitruvius]

28 kilometers per SECOND FFS.
78 million tonnes

Right, Ray, however...

1) the plan is to slow the asteroid down, and
B) Slowing it down will break it apart, reducing mass perhaps by as much as 50%.

Calculating precise speeds and orbit trajectories is Sylvester's department!

[henry quirk]

You can't catch it.
Because...
Mass: 78 billion kg
Average orbital speed: 28.0 km/s

I've caught it - on paper, I've solved the problem insofar as my knowledge allows. Started thinking about it, detour via comedy central himself, thought about it some more, solved it! The answer to "What can we do about Bennu?" is:

"Attach a solar sail to the magnesite chunk - if that's what it is, like a parachute creating drag, the rubble will keep going, the thing will break apart, and the chute will slow the main magnesite piece for entry into earth orbit."

Thanks for your somewhat belated vote of confidence, but I've answered the question to my satisfaction, using feasible technological solutions. And I know I'll be dead by 2135, but we have to start thinking about this now. I mean, look how they dragged their feet on solving climate change!

2135

I'll be 173...yeah, I ain't sweatin' it.

Good for you then!

Ya know, by now, we ought to have multiple colonies in near and far orbit, on the moon, and on Mars. We have the know-how (or did till NASA got pussified).

We've kept all our eggs in one basket for far too long.

[henry quirk]

470A9D71-82E7-4F37-8E5F-522F17B7F270.jpeg

...we'd deal with the cotton candy wad out there instead of hand-wringin' about it comin' here.



*Project Orion: we'd have these vehicles now if JFK hadn't sighed that damned treaty back then

[Vitruvius]

You can't catch it.
Because...
Mass: 78 billion kg
Average orbital speed: 28.0 km/s

I've caught it - on paper, I've solved the problem insofar as my knowledge allows. Started thinking about it, detour via comedy central himself, thought about it some more, solved it! The answer to "What can we do about Bennu?" is:

"Attach a solar sail to the magnesite chunk - if that's what it is, like a parachute creating drag, the rubble will keep going, the thing will break apart, and the chute will slow the main magnesite piece for entry into earth orbit."

Thanks for your somewhat belated vote of confidence, but I've answered the question to my satisfaction, using feasible technological solutions. And I know I'll be dead by 2135, but we have to start thinking about this now. I mean, look how they dragged their feet on solving climate change!

2135

I'll be 173...yeah, I ain't sweatin' it.

Good for you then!

Ya know, by now, we ought to have multiple colonies in near and far orbit, on the moon, and on Mars. We have the know-how (or did till NASA got pussified). We've kept all our eggs in one basket for far too long.

Despite the amazing things Nasa has done, it doesn't seem there's a consistent practical vision for getting into space. Maybe it's the politics, but it's like they're starting from scratch over and over.

Applying the same broad brush stroke logic brought to the climate change solution, I reckon you'd catch an asteroid, park it in orbit, and build a tether, before even looking at colonising the moon or Mars. The space elevator is key - a tether dangling down into high earth atmosphere - from an asteroid in low earth orbit - a gap of about 100 kilometres. Not an elevator built from the ground up - but downwards from a geo-synchronous rock, to an altitude that could be reached by balloon. When we can move cargo and personnel up and down, to and from Earth at minimal cost, we can mine the virtually infinite resources of the solar system - and the funding problem is over!

Did you happen to catch the story about the asteroid that would make everyone on earth a billionaire? It's the same with magma energy - the potential is vast beyond our imagination, and we're throwing away the opportunity. Dare to dream I say!

https://www.mining.com/web/the-golden-a ... llionaire/

[attofishpi]

Did you happen to catch the story about the asteroid that would make everyone on earth a billionaire? It's the same with magma energy - the potential is vast beyond our imagination, and we're throwing away the opportunity. Dare to dream I say!

https://www.mining.com/web/the-golden-a ... llionaire/

If everyone was a billionaire (by the way, you may not have noticed but people dont tend to share the wealth they exploit)...well, the problem is a bag of fish n chips would probaby cost about $10,000.

[Sculptor]

28 kilometers per SECOND FFS.
78 million tonnes

Right, Ray, however...

1) the plan is to slow the asteroid down, and
B) Slowing it down will break it apart, reducing mass perhaps by as much as 50%.

Calculating precise speeds and orbit trajectories is Sylvester's department!

Sylvester says NO
https://tenor.com/view/computer-says-no-no-gif-12232216

[Vitruvius]

Did you happen to catch the story about the asteroid that would make everyone on earth a billionaire? It's the same with magma energy - the potential is vast beyond our imagination, and we're throwing away the opportunity. Dare to dream I say!

https://www.mining.com/web/the-golden-a ... llionaire/

If everyone was a billionaire (by the way, you may not have noticed but people dont tend to share the wealth they exploit)...well, the problem is a bag of fish n chips would probaby cost about $10,000.

Offered a universe of unlimited resource, you're pre-occupied with 'who'd do the cooking?' There's no pleasing some people!

[Vitruvius]

28 kilometers per SECOND FFS.
78 million tonnes

Right, Ray, however...

1) the plan is to slow the asteroid down, and
B) Slowing it down will break it apart, reducing mass perhaps by as much as 50%.

Calculating precise speeds and orbit trajectories is Sylvester's department!

Sylvester says NO
https://tenor.com/view/computer-says-no-no-gif-12232216

Shut up Ray!

[henry quirk]

Vit,

Space elevators are cool...let's build giant, steel, atom bomb-driven spaceships first, is all I'm sayin'.

[Vitruvius]

Vit,

Space elevators are cool...let's build giant, steel, atom bomb-driven spaceships first, is all I'm sayin'.

The Project Orion thing - was that real? Looks like something from Fallout 4!

Speaking of which - those zombies ain't gonna shoot themselves!

mañana!

[henry quirk]

Vit,

Space elevators are cool...let's build giant, steel, atom bomb-driven spaceships first, is all I'm sayin'.

*The Project Orion thing - was that real? Looks like something from **Fallout 4!

Speaking of which - those zombies ain't gonna shoot themselves!

***mañana!

*Yep.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project ... ropulsion)


**One of my kid's favorites.


***Today is as good as any to start.