Russian scientists to create specialized software to monitor asteroids coming near Earth
Rogue asteroids could collide with our planet one day, leading into significant destruction. A measure to prevent the event and its likely huge threats is to get rid of the cosmic object before it approaches.
Jan 27, 2016
To get the job done, the European Commission has given a task to Russian scientists represented by Roscosmos' Central Machine Building Research Institute to come up with a plan to nuke rogue asteroids.
Russian experts think the most effective tactic to avoid a crash of an asteroid into the Earth is a nuclear explosion. Under the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, use of nuclear weapons is prohibited. But, Russian scientists said that there is an exception if our planet is in an impending danger.
The institute said, "If the asteroid threat becomes a matter of serious damage or even the very existence of life on earth, that ban would naturally be lifted".
The aim is to alter the course of the path of the asteroid away from our planet instead of attacking on it directly. When a nuclear explosion takes place beside an asteroid, it would set up some parts of the cosmic object on fire, leading to a jet-thrust effect. Such impact would kick off a major alteration on the asteroid’s orbit.
The threat can be minimized by discharging the missile when the asteroid is still at a distance from the planet. Considering such a plan in place, the Russian scientists mentioned that it would develop specialized software for monitoring asteroids approaching the Earth.
Furthermore, the Russian project would include four observation satellites, wherein two would track the orbit of the planet around the sun and the rest two would monitor motionlessly around the orbit of the planet.
The EU program known as NEOShield includes a number of projects, involving various countries. The goal of the project is to work on various strategies to avoid the collision of Near Earth Objects.
Russian experts think the most effective tactic to avoid a crash of an asteroid into the Earth is a nuclear explosion. Under the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, use of nuclear weapons is prohibited. But, Russian scientists said that there is an exception if our planet is in an impending danger.
The institute said, "If the asteroid threat becomes a matter of serious damage or even the very existence of life on earth, that ban would naturally be lifted".
The aim is to alter the course of the path of the asteroid away from our planet instead of attacking on it directly. When a nuclear explosion takes place beside an asteroid, it would set up some parts of the cosmic object on fire, leading to a jet-thrust effect. Such impact would kick off a major alteration on the asteroid’s orbit.
The threat can be minimized by discharging the missile when the asteroid is still at a distance from the planet. Considering such a plan in place, the Russian scientists mentioned that it would develop specialized software for monitoring asteroids approaching the Earth.
Furthermore, the Russian project would include four observation satellites, wherein two would track the orbit of the planet around the sun and the rest two would monitor motionlessly around the orbit of the planet.
The EU program known as NEOShield includes a number of projects, involving various countries. The goal of the project is to work on various strategies to avoid the collision of Near Earth Objects.