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bananas

(27,509 posts)
Fri Feb 15, 2013, 03:52 PM Feb 2013

House committee to hold hearing on asteroid threat [View all]

Source: The Hill

The House Science, Space and Technology Committee will hold a hearing on how to “better identify and address asteroids that pose a potential threat to Earth,” Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) said in a statement on Friday.

The announcement comes after a meteorite exploded in a massive blast above Siberia that damaged buildings, houses and cars and injured about 1,000 people on Friday.

<snip>

“Today’s events are a stark reminder of the need to invest in space science,” Smith said. “Asteroid 2012 DA14 passed just 17,000 miles from Earth, less than the distance of a round trip from New York to Sydney. And this morning, a much smaller meteorite hit near the Russian city of Chelyabinsk, damaging buildings and injuring hundreds."

"Developing technology and research that enable us to track objects like Asteroid 2012 DA14 is critical to our future," Smith said. "We should continue to invest in systems that identify threatening asteroids and develop contingencies, if needed, to change the course of an asteroid headed toward Earth.”

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/283427-house-committee-to-hold-hearing-on-asteroids-that-pose-a-potential-threat-to-earth

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Just a way this kook can call for space weapons for the military without IDing efhmc Feb 2013 #1
A weapon is a very bad way to solve the problem. longship Feb 2013 #20
Now stop it!!! paleotn Feb 2013 #24
Most of the feasible deflection strategies would make lousy weapons, so no. (nt) Posteritatis Feb 2013 #28
Huh? Coyotl Feb 2013 #36
It's one of the standard anti-space lines that gets bandied around DU. (nt) Posteritatis Feb 2013 #37
I guess the Birchers don't have a monopoly on paranoid politics. Coyotl Feb 2013 #38
That's just what they want you to think. Posteritatis Feb 2013 #39
To The Honorable Lamar Smith. United States House of Representatives. iandhr Feb 2013 #2
Brilliant! Global warming is killing the planet pscot Feb 2013 #3
Asteroids can kill us suddenly. Global Warming will kill us slowly. Ian David Feb 2013 #6
"We have to wait until our pants are on fire..." KamaAina Feb 2013 #10
Then it's too damn late! paleotn Feb 2013 #25
you can move an asteroid if you have enough warning TrogL Feb 2013 #7
Thank you iandhr Feb 2013 #9
Before that asteroid hits us pscot Feb 2013 #17
Read a book or two and come back when you've got some education on the topic. (nt) Posteritatis Feb 2013 #26
Solar sail? Probably not. longship Feb 2013 #29
Not a sail as such. But coat surface of the proto-meteoroid,... TheMadMonk Feb 2013 #33
I'm sure someone said exactly the same thing about the levees in New Orleans. wickerwoman Feb 2013 #13
Alan Grayson is on that committee. bluedigger Feb 2013 #4
Hah! Obama got the asteroids and meteoroids to do this just to further his agenda... Ian David Feb 2013 #5
Better start building that Death Star! Fuddnik Feb 2013 #8
The White House has come out against The Death Star. iandhr Feb 2013 #12
Sounds like a KBR project to me. paleotn Feb 2013 #31
The "House Science Committee" is an oxymoron, like "military intelligence" or "conservative thinker" KamaAina Feb 2013 #11
The House SST Committee should first hold a hearing that explores why many of them do not respect... xocet Feb 2013 #14
Is it me, or does Texlahoma... paleotn Feb 2013 #34
10 of the full committee of 39 members are either from Texas or Oklahoma so it is not just you. n/t xocet Feb 2013 #41
The committee is led by a Republican? Earth_First Feb 2013 #15
I propose a game Enrique Feb 2013 #16
Aren't killer asteroids just a theory? lastlib Feb 2013 #18
Not if they're legitimate asteroids Xipe Totec Feb 2013 #19
This Was An Expected Event DallasNE Feb 2013 #21
It's more about the absolute certainy that these *will* do something worse eventually Posteritatis Feb 2013 #30
This Kind Of Stuff Fascinates Me DallasNE Feb 2013 #35
How long before they bring up Benghazi? KansDem Feb 2013 #22
Obviously we need to send Kirok into the temple and make the blue flame come out One_Life_To_Give Feb 2013 #23
OMG!!! ROFL!!! calimary Feb 2013 #40
All I can say is: ReRe Feb 2013 #27
Scare a Republican and money will flow. Kablooie Feb 2013 #32
WHAT?! xxqqqzme Feb 2013 #42
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