[meteorite-list] for E.P.

[Michael Gilmer]

Sales of all laser-deflected asteroidal meteorites is hereby suspended
until further notice.

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On 3/28/12, David R. Vann <drvann at sas.upenn.edu> wrote:
>
> Latest approach to dealing with asteroids...
>
> http://www.strath.ac.uk/press/newsreleases/headline_602313_en.html
>
> Of course, this could mean, no more meteorites...
>
>
> Pioneering engineers at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow are
> developing an innovative technique based on lasers that could radically
> change asteroid deflection technology.
>
>
> The research has unearthed the possibility of using a swarm of relatively
> small satellites flying in formation and cooperatively firing solar-powered
> lasers onto an asteroid – this would overcome the difficulties associated
> with current methods that are focused on large unwieldy spacecraft.
>
>
> Dr Massimiliano Vasile, of Strathclyde’s Department of Mechanical and
> Aerospace Engineering, is leading the research. He said: “The approach we
> are developing would involve sending small satellites, capable of flying in
> formation with the asteroid and firing their lasers targeting the asteroid
> at close range.
>
> “The use of high power lasers in space for civil and commercial applications
> is in its infancy and one of the main challenges is to have high power, high
> efficiency and high beam quality all at the same time.
>
> “The additional problem with asteroid deflection is that when the laser
> begins to break down the surface of the object, the plume of gas and debris
> impinges the spacecraft and contaminates the laser. However, our laboratory
> tests have proven that the level of contamination is less than expected and
> the laser could continue to function for longer than anticipated.”
>
> Just over 100 years ago a 2000-kilometer area of vegetation was destroyed
> when an object believed to be 30-50 metres in diameter exploded in the skies
> above Tunguska, Siberia. While the likelihood of an immediate threat from a
> similar asteroid strike remains low, it is widely recognised that
> researching preventative measures is of significant importance.
>
> Dr Vasile added: “The Tunguska class of events are expected to occur within
> a period of a few centuries. Smaller asteroids collide with Earth more
> frequently and generally burn in the atmosphere although some of them reach
> the ground or explode at low altitude potentially causing damage to
> buildings and people.
>
> “We could reduce the threat posed by the potential collision with small to
> medium size objects using a flotilla of small agile spacecraft each equipped
> with a highly efficient laser which is much more feasible than a single
> large spacecraft carrying a multi mega watt. Our system is scalable, a
> larger asteroid would require adding one or more spacecraft to the flotilla,
> and intrinsically redundant - if one spacecraft fails the others can
> continue.”
>
> Dr Vasile is now investigating the use of the same concept to remove space
> debris. The number of objects in orbit classified as debris is
> ever-increasing and with no widely accepted solution for their removal.
> Researchers at the University of Strathclyde believe the space-borne lasers
> could be used to lower the original orbit of the space debris and reduce the
> congestion.
>
> Dr Vasile said: “The amount of debris in orbit is such that we might
> experience a so called Kessler syndrome – this is when the density becomes
> so high that collisions between objects could cause an exponentially
> increasing cascade of other collisions.
>
> “While there is significant monitoring in place to keep track of these
> objects, there is no specific system in place to remove them and our
> research could be a possible solution.
>
> “A major advantage of using our technique is that the laser does not have to
> be fired from the ground. Obviously there are severe restrictions with that
> process as it has to travel through the atmosphere, has a constrained range
> of action and can hit the debris only for short arcs.”
>
> The research was carried out in collaboration with the University of
> Strathclyde’s Institute of Photonics and was presented to the Planetary
> Society at the end of February. 
>
> 25 March 2012
>
> DRVann
>
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