The chances of our Earth colliding with rash intruders from outer space are always there. Although the odds against it happening are very much near to an improbability, yet it can not be totally ruled out. If a giant mega-asteroid collides with our Earth, that can totally destroy and possibly sink one or more continents in the ocean. The loss in terms of lives, property and wealth is obviously unimaginable. What can we do to save ourselves from extinction should such a disaster happen? This writer has no answers and leaves it to the worst imagination of the readers.
Alarming news is that astronomers spotted an asteroid a few hours before its trajectory missed impact with Earth.
In the USA, the Planetary Defense Coordination Office of NASA is working to figure out the possible extent and magnitude of the threat that may have to be faced, and also to develop measures that can possibly be taken to avert such an unthinkable disaster.
The only possibility is to deflect such an intruder off its course. One option could be to hit it with a nuclear-armed rocket in the far outer space and deflect it from its trajectory if we can calculate its projected trajectory. If, however, such a protective nuclear-armed rocket can not be fired because of dense cloud cover or for weather and other atmospheric reasons, then only doom awaits us. This matter was recently presented at a meeting of space researchers from US laboratories and NASA's Space Flight Center. [Reference: December 2016 issue of the journal, Popular Mechanics.]
Engr. S A Mansoor
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