Meteor explodes over Russia hurting hundreds

[DRKATO1]

http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/15/world/europe/russia-meteor-shower/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

[madvlad]

That's crazy, hope everyone is okay

[birchyboy]

The Darkest Hour is actually happening.

[dirkterrell]

That one was pretty mild. Look up the 1908 Tunguska event. Imagine that over a populated area, and even it was pretty small compared to some that have occurred in Earth's history. We are currently surveying and studying the asteroid population to determine and mitigate the risks. Something to consider for those who think space exploration is a waste of money...

[Grim2.0]

Was it the vibration from the boom that shattered the windows? did people get hit by particles of the meator, or glass after it exploded?

[#1Townie]

Hey dirk if the end of the world was near you would tell us right?

[dirkterrell]

Was it the vibration from the boom that shattered the windows? did people get hit by particles of the meator, or glass after it exploded?

It was the sonic boom from the meteoroid. This thing was moving at about 12 miles per second when it entered the atmosphere and was about 50 feet wide, so that is a lot of energy to dissipate. It also came in at a low angle (less than 20 degrees) which amplifies the damage because the shockwave is pointed close to straight down. I haven't heard anything about impact from the pieces of the meteoroid yet. Most of the damage was probably done by the airblast.

[Zach929rr]

Hey dirk if the end of the world was near you would tell us right?

There are no asteroids with a statistically significant chance of striking the earth for quite some time.

The windows breaking are from the explosion of itself 20-30 miles above the surface.

[dirkterrell]

Hey dirk if the end of the world was near you would tell us right?

The world will go on just fine for a long time. It's humanity I'm worried about. ;)

[dirkterrell]

There are no asteroids with a statistically significant chance of striking the earth for quite some time.


I think you mean "no globally destructive asteroids". But long period comets on the other hand...

[Zach929rr]

I think you mean "no globally destructive asteroids".

Yeah that is what I meant. Not up-to-date on the lower class of rock that would still do quite a bit of damage if an event occurred.

[bulldog]

It was the sonic boom from the meteoroid. This thing was moving at about 12 miles per second when it entered the atmosphere and was about 50 feet wide, so that is a lot of energy to dissipate. It also came in at a low angle (less than 20 degrees) which amplifies the damage because the shockwave is pointed close to straight down. I haven't heard anything about impact from the pieces of the meteoroid yet. Most of the damage was probably done by the airblast. This may be a realyyl stupid question, but why don't we shoot these things down before they enter the atmosphere and hurt people; if even possible (too many movies maybe)

[Zach929rr]

This may be a realyyl stupid question, but why don't we shoot these things down before they enter the atmosphere and hurt people; if even possible (too many movies maybe)

Whose responsibility is it? Is it Russia's responsibility to field explosive armament in space that is directly above their country? If the asteroid has a shallow trajectory, can they contact it above India? Can the US shoot it down regardless of where it is?

[dirkterrell]

This may be a realyyl stupid question, but why don't we shoot these things down before they enter the atmosphere and hurt people; if even possible (too many movies maybe)

Other issues notwithstanding, we simply don't know about these small guys until they are right on top of us. We can find and track the bigger ones, but it would take a lot more effort (and money) to find the small ones. If we could find them, the best solution would be to move them onto an orbit that doesn't intersect Earth rather than "shooting them down".

It's all possible technologically. It's a matter of the will of the people to pay for it. The amount we spend on this stuff is a tiny fraction of NASA's budget, which is itself a tiny fraction of the Federal government budget. from my point of view, this is is the sort of thing the government should be doing, not pillaging taxpayers for hundreds of billions of dollars to bail out Wall Street crooks, but I understand that I have a biased point of view on the matter.

[Snowman]

Considering what these things are made of you would think close calls like this would generate allot of financial interest in capturing these things into an orbit and then mining them down to dust.

[dirkterrell]

Considering what these things are made of you would think close calls like this would generate allot of financial interest in capturing these things into an orbit and then mining them down to dust.

Maybe the Chinese and the Russians will do it. Here in the US, we can't even ferry people to the space station any more. We are becoming the Portugal of space.

[dirkterrell]

In the meantime, watch one that is about three times as big whiz by us right now:

http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl2%C2%A0

[Grim2.0]

In the meantime, watch one that is about three times as big whiz by us right now:

http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl2%C2%A0


:up: How fast is that bad boy traveling?

[dirkterrell]

:up: How fast is that bad boy traveling?

About 8 miles per second or so.

[Clovis]

http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013/02/15/injuries-reported-after-meteorite-falls-in-russia-ural-mountains/

Vladimir Zhirinovsky, a nationalist leader noted for his vehement statements, blamed the Americans.
"It's not meteors falling. It's the test of a new weapon by the Americans," the RIA Novosti news agency quoted him as saying.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013/02/15/injuries-reported-after-meteorite-falls-in-russia-ural-mountains/#ixzz2KzjaOpXa

[Snowman]

Maybe the Chinese and the Russians will do it. Here in the US, we can't even ferry people to the space station any more. We are becoming the Portugal of space.I was thinking more along the lines of private investment. I mean with what some people are throwing at used yachts (http://www.yachtauthority.com/powerboat_sale-430_CRUISERS-24747.php) these days, I bet you could find every last BAR out there that could do any damage. Find ways of capturing one and mining it remotely. One decent rock would more than pay for the investment 10 times over.

[Ghosty]

The Darkest Hour is actually happening.
What's that, a novel?

Really scary, is if a big enough chunk survived and were to hit this area:


A chemical weapons disposal facility at Shchuchye also contains some 6,000 tons of nerve agents, including sarin and VX, about 14 percent of the chemical weapons that Russia is committed to destroy

[Clovis]

Artist's impression of the impact as seen from space. ;)

Amazing that only 1,100 injuried!

http://www.killerasteroids.org/images/impact_intro.jpg

[dirkterrell]

I was thinking more along the lines of private investment. I mean with what some people are throwing at used yachts (http://www.yachtauthority.com/powerboat_sale-430_CRUISERS-24747.php) these days, I bet you could find every last BAR out there that could do any damage. Find ways of capturing one and mining it remotely. One decent rock would more than pay for the investment 10 times over.

I think the scale of development is too large at this point for commercial entities for something this risky, but I would love to be proven wrong. A lot of infrastructure would have to be built.

[PsychoMike]

What are they made of to make mining then worth it?

[Ghosty]

This may be a really stupid question, but why don't we shoot these things down before they enter the atmosphere and hurt people; if even possible (too many movies maybe)
They tried that in 1979. Joint US/Russian ICBM effort. I guess it worked because we're all still here...

http://www.film.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/30267726-30267730-large.jpg

[Snowman]

What are they made of to make mining then worth it?http://www.economist.com/node/21553419

You name it...

[dirkterrell]

What are they made of to make mining then worth it?

If you pick the right ones, platinum group metals.

[asp_125]

But the ROI would plummet once platinum becomes a common metal. Unless of course the mining consortium stockpiles it and keeps prices artificially inflated.

[SaShWhO]

in other news:
In Russia the beat drops you:)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xamGrall2wc

[Ghosty]

Should've kept the lid on whatever that weird bottle was, hahaa.

[SaShWhO]

that weird bottle is a beer!
the smallest of the three sizes available.
They come up to 5 liters (164oz) for under 3 bucks!

[dirkterrell]

My buddy Bill Cooke who runs the NASA Meteoroid Environments Office (he and I went to grad school together) says that the air burst was about 300 kilotons equivalent. (The Hiroshima bomb was about 16 kilotons and Nagasaki was about 20.) It detonated about 12-15 miles up. That's pretty impressive.

[rforsythe]

[LEFT][COLOR=#000000]
Vladimir Zhirinovsky, a nationalist leader noted for his vehement statements, blamed the Americans.
"It's not meteors falling. It's the test of a new weapon by the Americans," the RIA Novosti news agency quoted him as saying.


It also put the Russian military on high alert until they sorted out what was actually happening (though they may still be, who knows). If it was North Korea, who knows what they'd do other than blame America/SK. It's a bit freaky to think that mother nature could trigger WW3 if cool/intelligent heads didn't prevail.

[dirkterrell]

It also put the Russian military on high alert until they sorted out what was actually happening (though they may still be, who knows). If it was North Korea, who knows what they'd do other than blame America/SK. It's a bit freaky to think that mother nature could trigger WW3 if cool/intelligent heads didn't prevail.

You might recall about ten years ago when Pakistan and India were in a very heightened state towards each other over Kashmir, a decent-sized meteor exploded over the Mediterranean. It's scary to think what might have happened if it had been over one of those two countries.

[CaptGoodvibes]

We are becoming the Portugal of space.

This might be the worst thing I've heard in my life. Americans are so short sighted. :(

[#1Townie]

Dirk you ARE the man. But hey i didnt like how you replied to my last comment. Just saying. Now i have to go find my tin hat again. Thanks bro.

[Streetdoctor]

This might be the worst thing I've heard in my life. Americans are so short sighted. :(

The worst thing you've heard in your life? Pretty boring life eh? :wtf:

[dirkterrell]

Dirk you ARE the man. But hey i didnt like how you replied to my last comment. Just saying. Now i have to go find my tin hat again. Thanks bro.

I just tell it like it is. :D

[CaptGoodvibes]

The worst thing you've heard in your life? Pretty boring life eh? :wtf:

Does that make you feel better?

[#1Townie]

Does that make you feel better?

Would you have preferred he just called you a bitch?

[Radek]

how much money will space program get ? Whole bunch .If Syria will use whole bunch of chemical weapons ,then what ?

[Zanatos]

http://www.popjolly.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Dave-Had-It-Right-300x180.jpg

[Radek]

http://www.popjolly.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Dave-Had-It-Right-300x180.jpg


Kabala