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[Ripclawe]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002102807_comet28.html

That's just what planetary scientists will do July 4 when NASA's Deep Impact mission reaches the comet Tempel 1 after a trip of six months and 80 million miles.

If all goes well, an 820-pound copper "hammer" the size of a bathtub will separate from its mother ship and, 24 hours later, smash into the comet's icy nucleus at about 23,000 mph.

"It's bound to be a blast," said Lucy McFadden, a University of Maryland astronomer and member of the Deep Impact team.

The high-speed impact will wallop the pickle-shaped comet with energy equivalent to 4.8 tons of TNT, said Michael A'Hearn, another UM astronomer and principal investigator on the $311 million mission.

Nobody's sure what will happen next. There's a small chance the impactor will blow the 2-½-mile-long comet to smithereens, or simply bore through it like a bullet through a snowball. More likely, scientists say, it will blast open a crater the size of a football stadium. It all depends on what Tempel 1 is made of, and how sturdily it is composed.

Which is exactly what scientists hope to learn.

The blast also will reveal the comet's interior chemistry and nail down more precisely what conditions were like when it formed at the solar system's birth more than 4.5 billion years ago.

 

[Firest0rm]

So thats what their doing with $311 million dollars? When this money could be given to people who need it they give it to a bunch of nerds that wanna see what happens when they smash an oversized "hammer" into a comet. Amazing.

 

[kumanoki]

Have these people never seen a science fiction movie?

No good will come of this.

 

[belgurdo]

So thats what their doing with $311 million dollars? When this money could be given to people who need it they give it to a bunch of nerds that wanna see what happens when they smash an oversized "hammer" into a comet. Amazing.

Because rocket scientists also moonlight as aid relief workers and can split their budgets two ways, right?

 

[tt_deeb]

 

[Ecrofirt]

oh christ, now they're going to start a giant space vaccuum that'll such in the univers. Nice work NASA!

 

[Manabanana]

Fucking awesome. I hope they codename it "Project Thor". Also hope I get to see the damage.

 

[BuddyC]

Considering that a couple of their latest missions have failed when the probes inadvertently impacted with a solid object, it's nice to see NASA realizing their strengths.

 

[Miguel]

That's just what planetary scientists will do July 4 when NASA's Deep Impact mission reaches the comet Tempel 1 after a trip of six months and 80 million miles.

If all goes well, an 820-pound copper "hammer" the size of a bathtub will separate from its mother ship and, 24 hours later, smash into the comet's icy nucleus at about 23,000 mph.

"It's bound to be a blast," said Lucy McFadden, a University of Maryland astronomer and member of the Deep Impact team.

The high-speed impact will wallop the pickle-shaped comet with energy equivalent to 4.8 tons of TNT, said Michael A'Hearn, another UM astronomer and principal investigator on the $311 million mission.

Nobody's sure what will happen next. There's a small chance the impactor will blow the 2-½-mile-long comet to smithereens, or simply bore through it like a bullet through a snowball. More likely, scientists say, it will blast open a crater the size of a football stadium. It all depends on what Tempel 1 is made of, and how sturdily it is composed.

Which is exactly what scientists hope to learn.

The blast also will reveal the comet's interior chemistry and nail down more precisely what conditions were like when it formed at the solar system's birth more than 4.5 billion years ago.

"Don't try this at home. We're what you call...experts. We do this for a living"

 

[MetatronM]

Have these people never seen a science fiction movie?

No good will come of this.

Seriously. This sounds like a really bad idea all around.

 

[DarthWoo]

That's just what planetary scientists will do July 4 when NASA's Deep Impact mission reaches the comet Tempel 1 after a trip of six months and 80 million miles.

!!???

Edit: Why didn't they just go for broke and borrow a nuke from the Army?

 

[tedtropy]

NASA's new Chief Project Manager. (It's Gallagher, you jackasses.)

 

[Wellington]

$100 says the 'hammer' diverts the comet to Earth and dooms humanity as we know it.

I found some ancient markings that showed the dinosaurs had the same brilliant idea.

 

[Soybean]

$100 says the 'hammer' diverts the comet to Earth and dooms humanity as we know it.

I found some ancient markings that showed the dinosaurs had the same brilliant idea.

:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

 

[Miguel]

$100 says the 'hammer' diverts the comet to Earth and dooms humanity as we know it.

I found some ancient markings that showed the dinosaurs had the same brilliant idea.

Trying to make back those 200 bucks you've lost on the NFL this year?

 

[Phoenix]

Considering that a couple of their latest missions have failed when the probes inadvertently impacted with a solid object, it's nice to see NASA realizing their strengths.

Excellent :lol

 

[Phoenix]

!!???

Edit: Why didn't they just go for broke and borrow a nuke from the Army?

Probably because the Army doesn't have any Then of course, there is the problem that if something happens to the rocket during liftoff, you just spread radioactive shit all over a portion of the planet

 

[Phoenix]

So thats what their doing with $311 million dollars? When this money could be given to people who need it they give it to a bunch of nerds that wanna see what happens when they smash an oversized "hammer" into a comet. Amazing.

Good thing the government ignored comments like this when the laid the foundations for Internet research. "What $300 million dollars so nerds can talk to each other faster?"

 

[fart]

yah i can't see money into scientific research as a waste.

now, diversion of social funds for scientific research... that's another issue entirely.

 

[DarienA]

They are doing this now so they'll have a better idea of what might happen if they have to do this for REAL later instead of just having pie in the sky guesses.

 

[nitewulf]

"It's bound to be a blast," said Lucy McFadden

bet she thought she was being funny.

 

[Boogie9IGN]

Not mine, but it seems appropriate

 

[Ronald_mcd]

Why 820 lbs? why not a nice number like 1000. Then I might be impressed.

 

[Phoenix]

Why 820 lbs? why not a nice number like 1000. Then I might be impressed.

$$$

 

[Mercurial]

A Q better not be inside.

 

[Mashing]

Or 800 lbs and call the hammer Gorilla.

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

Marshall Applewhite is going to be pissed when he sees the dent they've made in his wall.

 

[demi]

!!!!

It starts.