NASA sending hammer to space
Everybody cross your fingers:
'If all goes well, an 820-pound copper "hammer" the size of a bathtub will separate from its mother ship and, 24 hours later, smash into the comet's icy nucleus at about 23,000 mph.
The high-speed impact will wallop the pickle-shaped comet with energy equivalent to 4.8 tons of TNT, said Michael A'Hearn, a University of Maryland astronomer and principal investigator on the $311 million mission.
Nobody's sure what will happen next.' (The Arizona Republic article via FARK)
Comments
That will undoubtedly upset the comet's long beaten track. Upon it's return, whenever that is, it will then collide with our beloved old space ball, obliterating most of the life we have here. I hope they have a plan B in case the comet decides it's next approach should be head on.
Posted by: Ahab | December 21, 2004 11:40 PM