In a move clearly inspired by the hyperrealistic movieArmageddon, NASA has decided to attack an asteroid.
The space agency, however, has recklessly overlooked Michael Bays ingenious idea oftraining oil drillers to become astronauts.
Nor will the NASA nerds follow the directors advice of blasting the rock with a nuclear bomb.
Instead, they want to smack it with a spacecraft.
That doesnt mean we have nothing to fear, however.
Just try telling the dinosaurs thatspacerocks arent dangerous.
You cant because they were wiped out by an asteroid around 66 million years ago.
Im sorry you had to find out this way.
And if you think that asteroid sounded bad, remember that it was only about 10 km wide.
The comet inArmageddon, meanwhile, was the size of Texas around1,000km wide.
Given Bays reputation asa cinematic soothsayer, its a relief that NASA is finally taking action.
It’s free, every week, in your inbox.
The spacecraft will launch aboard aSpaceXFalcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
It will then zero in on its target: the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos (Greek for two forms.)
The spacecraft can direct itself to hit an asteroid at a speed of up to roughly 24,000 kmph.
If all goes to plan, the impact will force Dimorphos to change its orbit.
NASA says the asteroid is the ideal target as it presents no threat to Earth.
Scientists will also be able to measure changes in Dimorphos orbit with ground-based telescopes.
I presume they just didnt have the directors $140 million budget.
UnlikeArmaggedon, the launch is unlikely to be the highest-grossing film of the year.
But at least it wont replicate Bays tendency of giving viewers brain damage.
Story byThomas Macaulay
Thomas is the managing editor of TNW.
He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers.
Away from work, he e(show all)Thomas is the managing editor of TNW.
He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers.
Away from work, he enjoys playing chess (badly) and the guitar (even worse).
