[FPSPACE] NASA and NEOs[Scanned by MAIL]

[Jens Kieffer-Olsen]

 -----Original Message-----
 From: Matula, Thomas L. [mailto:MATULAT at uhv.edu] 
 Sent: Sunday, April 08, 2007 1:06 AM
 
> Jens,
> 
> One reason to practice with a NEO with zero chance of hitting 
> the Earth is if you mess up you don't waste the Earth. If you 
> use a PHO as your practice mission you might just mess up and 
> hit the Earth. Sure the risk is small, but I prefer it to be zero.
> 
> Tom 

 I entirely agree with you, Tom, that the Air Force should
 hold back from doing the real thing, if their raison-d'être
 for being in the game is to channel nuclear devices into
 outer space under the pretext of practicing PHO deflection.

 But an early deflection attempt by NASA would under no
 circumstances be destructive, and as long as the object
 stands no risk of fragmenting into more objects there is
 no risk of worsening odds. 

 Entirely harmless for example is the 'tractor' solution.
 In fact, I could imagine a 'tractor' mission soon after
 2030 as a proof-of-concept.

--
Jens Kieffer-Olsen
Slagelse, Denmark