The Future Of Solar Power

[David L. Jones]

Mr.T wrote:

"David L. Jones" <altzone@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:xHMAm.2731$cL1.2364@newsfe20.iad...
A few extra bucks to track rogue asteroids and comets might be well
worth our while.

Since we can do nothing if we find one, why bother?

You can at least start running.
Looks like they can predict impact location pretty well for ones closing in
fast using spectral analysis along with other techniques:
http://www.gizmag.com/astronomers-asteroid-hit-the-earth/11395/

Quite amazing they can do this on a 4m wide chunck of rock.

Dave.

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[Mr.T]

"David L. Jones" <altzone@gmail.com> wrote in message
newsw9Fm.14498$Hn5.2375@newsfe23.iad...

The argument is should we spend money on searching for and tracking
anything
that can hit us.
You claimed it wasn't possible to do anything about it if we did find one,
so we shouldn't bother. Yet we have already sent multiple probes to
succesfully intercept some of these things in the past. I'd say that's
pretty relevant to the argument.

How so? I never claimed we don't study them, the question is how much extra
should we spend if we still can't do anything.
Meanwhile people are dying of preventable diseases etc. where more research
would definitely save lives.

Can't be tested anyway because most are still waiting on technolgy
improvements.

That would come very quickly indeed if something was going to hit us.

Wishing does not make solutions happen or we would long ago have cures for
all diseases and all natural disasters that *regularly occur*.
No need to look for more that may never happen, when we already have so much
that will!

Ah, so you do think we might be able to do something, it's just a matter
of
development time huh?

I said that already. Science will improve regardless.

That's why more money is needed to find and track them sooner.

Fine, donate your money to it, I'd rather mine go to medical research for
example.

Ah, so you do think we might be able to do something, it's just a matter
of
development time huh?

Could you not read the last few times I aready said that?

but why worry now?

No need to worry at all.

Exactly, no need to waste more money then.

As the old astronaut/test pilot adage goes, no need to worry unless
something actually goes wrong.
But spending an insiginifcant (in the scheme of most things) amount of
money
on it now to track and keep an eye out isn't a bad investment compared to
other stuff we piss our tax money away on.

Fine donate your money, I consider hospitals and medical research more
important, but you are welcome to your opinion.

And how do we know about them?
Oh, that's right, we look for and track them, not a bad idea huh?

So you agree we are already doing all that's necessary?

Unless something blasts one loose from the asterioid belt I guess.

It happens.

When was the last? How often does it happen? What could we do about it?

No one is talking about planning, just looking and tracking, an area which
by all accounts is very under-funded.

Which is exactly what EVERY special interest group claims of course!

MrT.

 

[Mr.T]

"David L. Jones" <altzone@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:qddFm.8014$LE1.5500@newsfe14.iad...

You can at least start running.
Looks like they can predict impact location pretty well for ones closing
in
fast using spectral analysis along with other techniques:
http://www.gizmag.com/astronomers-asteroid-hit-the-earth/11395/

Quite amazing they can do this on a 4m wide chunck of rock.

Wonderful, that proves a number of things.

They *are* looking already.
20 hour lead time is not enough time to do anything even if they could.
They can't even do anything about a "miniature" 80 tonne asteroid.
And nobody is told anyway until afterwards.

So NO, there is no point running afterwards!
And your chances of being hit by an asteroid are still *absolutely
minuscule* compared to the chance of dying from all other types of disasters
and accidents.
Probably as much chance of being killed by falling man made space junk.

Tell us again how many people have been killed in the last century by
meteorites?
How many killed by war, famine, disease, and natural disasters?
Now tell us where you think our money is best spent?

MrT.