/dev/null Posted June 16, 2016 Posted June 16, 2016 http://www.space.com/33185-earth-quasi-moon-asteroid-2016-ho3.html
unbillievable Posted June 18, 2016 Posted June 18, 2016 I was disappointed to find out that asteroids are so far apart, that it's not difficult to fly straight through the belt without encountering one. Star Wars lied to me. So you can't really lose that alien ship following you by going into the asteroid belt.
BUFFALOKIE Posted June 18, 2016 Posted June 18, 2016 I was disappointed to find out that asteroids are so far apart, that it's not difficult to fly straight through the belt without encountering one. Star Wars lied to me. So you can't really lose that alien ship following you by going into the asteroid belt. Methinks their galaxy, far far away, must be teeny tiny.
Saxum Posted June 18, 2016 Posted June 18, 2016 Nice animation of orbit: http://www.space.com/33182-newly-discovered-asteroid-is-quasi-satellite-of-earth-orbit-animation.html
PromoTheRobot Posted June 19, 2016 Posted June 19, 2016 I wonder if it might be a target for mineral exploration?
Saxum Posted June 19, 2016 Posted June 19, 2016 I wonder if it might be a target for mineral exploration? Not until we have permanent orbital colonies.
Deranged Rhino Posted June 19, 2016 Posted June 19, 2016 Not until we have permanent orbital colonies. Perhaps we do...
PromoTheRobot Posted June 19, 2016 Posted June 19, 2016 Seriously, scientists have discussed trying to mine asteroids but they are either far away or moving too fast in relation to the Earth. Now we find one just following us like a puppy. It has to be a tempting target. But we also have to be sure we don't alter it's orbit in a way it might collide with us.
Beerball Posted June 19, 2016 Posted June 19, 2016 http://www.space.com/33185-earth-quasi-moon-asteroid-2016-ho3.html Quasimoono?
Deranged Rhino Posted June 19, 2016 Posted June 19, 2016 Seriously, scientists have discussed trying to mine asteroids but they are either far away or moving too fast in relation to the Earth. Now we find one just following us like a puppy. It has to be a tempting target. But we also have to be sure we don't alter it's orbit in a way it might collide with us. Not just discussing. Congress has been passing laws the past two years setting up the legal foundation for such operations. Though their timing is suspicious for many reasons that are fun to speculate about: http://www.space.com/31177-space-mining-commercial-spaceflight-congress.html http://www.planetaryresources.com/2015/11/president-obama-signs-bill-recognizing-asteroid-resource-property-rights-into-law/ http://spacenews.com/op-ed-dont-muddy-the-message-to-space-mining-companies/ The most efficient way to mine the rocks would be to have a permanent lunar base (again, if we don't already have one ) wherein you could direct the asteroids to a lunar orbit through the use of automated craft. Though, with the right technology and a large enough target, burrowing into the rocks, hollowing them out and mining from the inside out, would be the safest way to perform the operations rather than trying to build mining sites on the surface of moving asteroids. We'll be mining space rocks in our life time... again, if we aren't already doing so...
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