Scientists unveil new detectors in race to save Earth from next asteroid
A meteorite crash that caused devastation in Chelyabinsk, Russia occurred on the same day a 40m-diameter asteroid swept to within 27,000km of Earth.
Astronomers at the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual meeting in Boston were quick to reassure the public that they had plans to provide better warnings of future impacts.
"The hundreds of people injured in Russia show it is time to take action and no longer be passive about these events," said Rick Tumlinson, chairman of the US company Deep Space Industries. His company is preparing to launch a series of small spacecraft later this decade. These are aimed at surveying nearby asteroids to see if they can be mined for metals and ores.
No comments:
Post a Comment