Spaceguard operations.

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halman

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<p>Is anyone aware of any discussion to launch an asteriod detection satellite anytime soon?&nbsp; I am talking about a vehicle with an infared sensor and a radio relay with Earth, to report the locations of echoes from the Inner System.&nbsp; This is the only way that we are going to be able to reliably establish the orbits of bodies moving between the Earth and the Sun.&nbsp; Such a mission could probably be accomplished for less than any of the current Mars probes, and would be incredibly informative about potential hazards from asteroids in the Inner System.&nbsp; We simply cannot see what is between us and the Sun well enough to know everything that is there.</p><p>I consider this to be the singularly most important possible space mission right now, because it may make a difference between being hit without any warning and being able to make some preparations to protect ourselves. </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> The secret to peace of mind is a short attention span. </div>
 
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qso1

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<p>I'm sure there is plenty of discussion. But no serious proposals have been approved that I'm aware of. Asteroids are generally not that hard to detect. In fact, the increase in detection capability has lead to an increase in the number of asteroids initially percieved as threats and later found not to be.</p><p>The problem I have seen over the years is the usual one. We don't respond to threats until they are practically on top of us. After the famous Shoemaker Levy comet impact into Jupiter in 1994, there was a lot of talk in Washington about feilding a system to deflect rogue asteroids. That all died down before 2000.</p><p>Another part of the problem is there are too many proposals ranging from basic to exotic and nobody has been able to agree on what would work. Therefore, not much point in even having a detection capability if were not going to field the subsequent capability to deflect or destroy an incoming.&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>
 
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MeteorWayne

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<p>Here's an interesting page of Asteroid Discovery Statistics:</p><p>http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/stats/</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>
 
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halman

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<p>The reason that I was asking about an asteroid detection satellite is because we are blind in one area.&nbsp; Those objects whose orbits lie inside that of Earth's can be extremely difficult to detect, because they are generally backlit when they are above our horzion.&nbsp; Some of these bodies have orbits which cross ours, yet we have no real idea how many there are, or what their diameters are.</p><p>A satellite positioned near the orbit of Venus would be able to detect nearly all of these bodies in a short period of time, using a simple infrared detector.&nbsp; Until we can create a catalog of these bodies, we run the risk of being hit by something we didn't even know was coming.&nbsp; This detection satellite could be built quite cheaply, compared with the typical space probe, and would not require a lot of mass to accomplish its mission.&nbsp; Launch costs would be minimal, especially if some planetary pool were played, as we are currently doing with the probe going to Mercury.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> The secret to peace of mind is a short attention span. </div>
 
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MeteorWayne

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>The reason that I was asking about an asteroid detection satellite is because we are blind in one area.&nbsp; Those objects whose orbits lie inside that of Earth's can be extremely difficult to detect, because they are generally backlit when they are above our horzion.&nbsp; Some of these bodies have orbits which cross ours, yet we have no real idea how many there are, or what their diameters are.A satellite positioned near the orbit of Venus would be able to detect nearly all of these bodies in a short period of time, using a simple infrared detector.&nbsp; Until we can create a catalog of these bodies, we run the risk of being hit by something we didn't even know was coming.&nbsp; This detection satellite could be built quite cheaply, compared with the typical space probe, and would not require a lot of mass to accomplish its mission.&nbsp; Launch costs would be minimal, especially if some planetary pool were played, as we are currently doing with the probe going to Mercury. <br />Posted by halman</DIV></p><p>You are right and wrong here. The objects that "come out of the sun" can also be detected on the way in toward the sun. And we are detecting a lot. Not all, for sure, but it is much harder for an object to sneak up.</p><p>Yes, SMALL objects (< 25 meters) do escape detection until their outbound leg, but they are not really threats...more a spectacular fireball.<br /></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>
 
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