Save Earth from asteroidal doom and win $50k
-
Save Earth from asteroidal doom and win $50k
By Lucy Sherriff
Published Thursday 14th December 2006 16:19 GMT
American scientists are offering a $50,000 prize to the person who designs a system for tagging and tracking the potentially Earth-threatening asteroid, Apophis.
The asteroid is due to pass very close (astronomically speaking) to Earth in 2029. During this close encounter, its trajectory will be changed thanks to Earth's gravitational influence. There is a chance, albeit small, that it could be put on a path to collide with us in 2036.
Naturally, astronomers would like to be able to confirm that this isn't going to happen, hence the competition.
The Planetary Society is putting up the $50k prize money thanks to a donation from board member Dan Geraci. The competition is being run in conjunction with the European Space Agency, NASA, and a number of other space-related bodies.
The Planetary Society argues that it is vital we find out if the asteroid is likely to be set on a collision course as soon as possible. This will give us time to make plans to intercept and divert the rock, which is thought to be between 300m and 400m, and save us all from a fate worse than the dinosaurs'.
"While the odds are very slim that this particular asteroid will hit Earth in 30 years, they are not zero, and Apophis and other NEOs represent threats that need to be addressed," said Rusty Schweickart, Apollo astronaut and head of the Association for Space Explorers NEO (Near Earth Object) committee.
The Society is inviting suggestions for ways to rendezvous with the asteroid and tag it so as to track its path as accurately as possible. There is an area of space several hundred metres wide which the scientists are referring to as the keyhole. If the astroid passes through this keyhole, it will be set on a collision course for 2036.
The Society will present the winning entries to the worldÂ’s major space agencies, and the findings of the competition will be presented at relevant scientific and engineering conferences.
Got an idea? Have a read of the rules and get cracking. ®
http://planetary.org/programs/projects/near_earth_objects/apophis_competition/rules.html -
50k only?
-
50k + your name in history bookOriginally posted by used:50k only? -
ok i give upOriginally posted by ifish:50k + your name in history book -
How big is this asteroid? Is it gonna wipe out all life on Earth if it hits?
-
wad if i die before 2036?? then i will lose out.
i rather we all die together -
300m to 400m wide. I read about this long time ago liaoOriginally posted by dakkon_blackblade:How big is this asteroid? Is it gonna wipe out all life on Earth if it hits? -
Wah liew, 50k is not even peanut lor. Somemore must sumit the detailed plan.
If the increase the prize money to $10mil maybe I will consider forming a team in sgForums.
And hor, 50k to save Earth and mankind, it's too budget liao. Do you think we human worth 50K? Not at least 10mil.! -
because only em scientists believe in this "asteroidal doom".Originally posted by Darkness_hacker99:Wah liew, 50k is not even peanut lor. Somemore must sumit the detailed plan.
If the increase the prize money to $10mil maybe I will consider forming a team in sgForums.
And hor, 50k to save Earth and mankind, it's too budget liao. Do you think we human worth 50K? Not at least 10mil.!
the others just want better nukes for their neverending cold war, and the others others believes praying will do the trick, and the others others others, the majority, are ignorant about it. -
You all really never think with your brains...
$50 k is just a prize/token of appreciation la.
If you really can save earth, the money throw onto you can even have you buried...
Just imagine how popular you'll be in the world and how many times your face is going to be shown/heard on media(tv, mag, newspaper, radio)...i think you sit there do nothing... every now and then also will have people to ask you to endorse product/do advertisements for them.
yeah, of course there are many more ways of how money will come pouring in...think about it.
lol -
Well , at least you and your team get the nickname of " Saviour of the World "
-
I hope the asteroid hits earth, it would be very exciting!!!
-
x10.Originally posted by An0nym0us:I hope the asteroid hits earth, it would be very exciting!!! -
NMNT!( No Money No Talk)Originally posted by worldvoucher:Well , at least you and your team get the nickname of " Saviour of the World " -
anybody entering contest?
-
i build a machine to save the whole of mankind and animal kind and so many kind
AND I GET 50K? -
I think 50K not even enough for the research & development... not to mention building something... duh~~Originally posted by iwillsurvive:i build a machine to save the whole of mankind and animal kind and so many kind
AND I GET 50K?
Wat if they adopt your proposal... then they tell you they can only pay you when the solution can be proven???
Hwah~~ Dono have to wait how long sia.....
I think by then we all die already.... -
wah u all so evil leh..
end of the world oso refering to your future dotter and sons leh. ur gf, ur family, ur friends, all si guang guang still so happy wish for meteor to hit us. -
wtf lah... USA got space lasers here and there, they can just tew tew tew the astoriod and gao tim mah
-
Yo! 50k is for the proposal only nia...i.e. about 200-500 pages of rubbish...Originally posted by iwillsurvive:i build a machine to save the whole of mankind and animal kind and so many kind
AND I GET 50K?
then if they decide to use your big plan , you will get top up and more grants lah....machiam maybe up to US$10b. -
100 billion will be fine..
-
No amount can be pegged to any life-saving deed. Wow, is this the end of humanity?
-
Wah, maybe you submit this plan they will accept it. Then you get the $50k.Originally posted by tomsss:wtf lah... USA got space lasers here and there, they can just tew tew tew the astoriod and gao tim mah
Pro sia -
The 50k is just a token.
-
Key points :
You need astrophysicists and aerospace engineers to calculate the tagging points and the best machine to continuously monitor it and the best weapons to deflect it. In short , invent a weapon which could destroy the asteroid or deflect it off the keyhole without a huge amount of risk to humans down below.
You need mathematicians and astrophysicists to calculate its current trajectory and possible future trajectory . Should it impact - estimate the points of impact on its path and the where the weapon should be launched.
And you can only make a possible error of only 0.05%
Not to mention you need a financial analyst to cost your project.
All for 50k ....and no your name will not be mentioned as the one who saved the planet. You just get nothing at all except a momentous applause and fame which lasts for a certain period of time while someone else innovates on your idea and then takes all the credit for a new astrophysics theory. This starts to stinks of copernicus, kepler and galileo.