NASA and some other space research agencies are already thinking of sending robotic probes to the near earth asteroids.
These small robotic probes could land on the Asteroids and can gather important information about these mysterious rocks.
Since the probes will be powered by an onboard battery so they will be alive for a couple of days. After that they will explode and the remains will listen to the vibrations that could reveal the inner structure of these rocks.
NASA has already compiled a list of over 800 near earth asteroids that can pose a danger to the earth in future. These Robots can also be used to destroy these potentially dangerous rocks before they hit our planet and can also explode and change their orbit so that they pass-by earth without any danger to our home.
Other positive points included in sending such probes to space is that they weigh less than 12-kgs so as many as half a dozen can be launched from a single space craft that makes the mission comparatively cheap. If every thing goes well we can hope to see these robots in service as early as 2011.
Via: engadget
Comments
I think the idea is cute, but a space tractor (or a space tug boat as you mentioned earlier) may not only be more realistic when dealing with these threats, but also less political (as sending a bomb, whether chemical or nuclear may be very unpopular, especially over any nation’s air space).
Great article by the way. :-)