Approaching Asteroid May Get Close Enough to Smash Satellites

[CSORuger]

Approaching Asteroid May Get Close Enough to Smash Satellites

A newly discovered asteroid called 2012 DA14 will pass so close to Earth in February that it might hit a communications satellite, scientists say.

 

[LegatoRedrivers]

NASA currently estimates that the likelihood of 2012 DA14 striking Earth anytime in the next several decades is 0.031 percent—a figure that will be refined after astronomers collect data on its close pass next February.

 

[Dorky_D]

Ah, Bruce Willis will take care of it!

 

[Lucas156]

Interesting

 

[VN Vet]

I think it is suppose to pass between the earth and the moon; so that is very close. Oh well, you don't want to live forever, do you?

Stay safe,
Vv

 

[findingZzero]

Shoot yer way out of this one INGO!

 

[Lucas156]

Imagine if it hit the moon and the moon crashes into the earth... O shi......lol

 

[45pro]

Tag

 

[churchmouse]

I removed my foil hat and sensed nothing. The asteroid is devoid of life and will miss us.

Some one said something about it striking the moon. Have you looked at the lunar surface.

 

[blamecharles]

But...but... The Myans calendar end this year.



Don't. I know.

 

[Bill B]

From the article:

If it does hit either in 2020 or later, the asteroid is small enough that it wouldn't be a civilization-destroying hazard. Also, the rock approaches Earth from the south, making Antarctica or the Southern Ocean its most likely targets.
Still, if the asteroid were to hit land, the impact of the 140,000-ton rock would release energy equivalent to a 2.4-megaton explosion, Chodas and other NASA scientists have calculated.
That puts the space rock in the same class as the 1908 Tunguska blast, a mysterious event, likely tied to an asteroid or comet, in which hundreds of square miles of forest in Siberia were leveled.
If the asteroid were to strike the ocean, Chodas added, it would produce a tsunami, although "it probably wouldn't be big."

No Earth shattering ka-boom?

 

[Sticky]

Here's hoping that it's the communications satellite used by the in-laws.

 

[findingZzero]

Imagine if it hit the moon and the moon crashes into the earth... O shi......lol

Skeet shoot!

 

[threefiftyfour]

Here's hoping that it's the communications satellite used by the in-laws.

I like my current in-laws, now the ex and her tribe....

 

[ThrottleJockey]

Many scientists believe the moon was actually split off of the earth by a VERY large collision long, long ago. I've heard that others believe the moon WAS an asteroid that collided with the earth long. long ago.....

 

[five5toad]

The one that will get us is the one we don't see.

 

[ThrottleJockey]

The one that will get us is the one we don't see.

So you assume that seeing it equates to being able to do something about it?

 

[Mossberg84]

So you assume that seeing it equates to being able to do something about it?

All we need to do is send up the best Texas oil drillers with a nuke and let them go to work. Oh wait, that's not believable. The space shuttle program was shut down.

(purple where needed)

 

[IndyDave1776]

It may take out some satellites? Does this mean we will be able to take a leak behind a tree without the .gov watching?

 

[SHEEPdOHdoubleG]

I am already starting to hear stephen tyler... "I don't wanna close my eyes... I don't wanna fall asleep, cuz i'd miss you babe....."