The past and future By: Chris Lim
What are the scientists going to do to stop the asteroid?
Past plans of stopping an asteroid
1. Using nuclear weapons- Using the nuclear weapons, it break down most of the asteroid which leads for lots of small bit of asteroid debris floating in space. This method is far fetched because if you use any nuclear weapons, it could lead to a lot of debris landing on Earth and it would damage ecosystems, cities or cause pollution.
2. Using a deflector to deflect the asteroid- Using a deflector to deflect the asteroid and it will push the asteroid from its course from hitting Earth. The deflector will only deflect the asteroid instead of damaging/breaking the asteroid. This is a far fetched idea because it would require many years of research to come up with something that has the capability of pushing a asteroid that could be at a velocity rate of 20 km/s.
3. Using a carbon fiber mesh- Using a carbon fiber mesh as a solar sail will use the solar energy from the sun and it will redirect the asteroid from hitting the Earth. This is a possible plan that could work in 1 year. The only problem is that how is the carbon fiber mesh going to be placed on the asteroid and how is the carbon fiber mesh going to be big enough to act as a solar sail to redirect the asteroid from its course on colliding with Earth?
Carbon Fiber Mesh
Deflector
Nuclear Weapons
What are scientists going to do about this crisis?
The following is the plan that the scientists have come up with to save the Earth:
First a space ship would fly up in space and nuclear bombs would be placed where the expected asteroid will hit. The nuclear bombs would not be strong enough to impact the asteroid that it will break. The nuclear bombs would act as a deflector and it will slow down the speed that the asteroid is going at. After the asteroid is slowing down, a space ship would already be in space and it will land on the asteroid. The space ship would already be loaded with sulfuric acid. The space ship would also have a drill. The drill will drill a small hole. Once the hole is drilled, there would be pressured applied to the sulfuric acid and the sulfuric acid will be in the asteroid. Sulfuric acid melts the acid which leaves a liquid substance left floating in space to be cleaned up. The floating liquid will be cleaned up by a big rag what will absorb all of the melted "iron" asteroid.
Credits
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