Weaponising an asteroid.

Some time ago I had the notion that it would be relatively easy to weaponize an asteroid. And it would be a useful thing to do, if you were a state that wished to literally destroy an enemy state and yet appear to be completely innocent. You could choose the size of the asteroid, so that its impact obliterated the land mass you directed it at, but not so big as that it would destroy anywhere else and there would be no nuclear fallout, just massive devastation.
The other pros to this idea are that, there would be no evidence it was anything other than an act of God.
The reason I am putting this idea in to the public domain is because of a news story I heard today. Apparently some huge companies like Google are heading up a new company designed to mine asteroids. I automatically remembered my idea and considered this future mining operation may well be a cover, so that one or more asteroids can be weaponized.
We have heard many times that asteroids only need a slight "nudge" to alter their trajectory, so it is not as though lots of new technology would be needed to nudge one in the right direction. The thing is if the US start sending craft to "mine" asteroids, nobody will think anything other than a mining operation is taking place, where as under ordinary circumstances all space missions are scrutinized by foreign intelligences as to their purpose.
So it would be a great front to call it a mining operation. We all know if any country send a weapon into space, other superpowers would veto the move or counter it, such as happened with the star wars program.
Now I am not saying this proposed mining operation is a cover for such activity but it would make a really good cover story, to utilize asteroid impact as a untraceable weapon, with no nuclear fallout,
Has this theory ever been proposed before?

reply to post by splitlevel


Asteroids disintegrate upon entering the atmosphere.

How would they prevent this?

reply to post by splitlevel


Stop and think for a second.

We put satellites into orbit, control them to the milimeter from computers, yet can't tell you where they will impact once they come back down.

Yet we will be able to accurately target an asteroid?

Hmm, wait a second, I'm sure I've heard this theory before. Yes, infact I did, a race of aliens who resemble bugs start lobbing asteroids at earth, so we get a bunch of TROOPERS and dump them into a STARSHIP and epic campy B movie action ensues.

Anyways, I can see the advantage of this, but the risk is too high, 1 milimeter off and you wipe out Atlanta. What if it's an air burst instead of an impact? Google Tunguska. what if it misses land and hits the ocean? Deep impact.

Our leaders are crazy, but not that crazy, once we have a moon base colony, sure, I could see them risking the entire planet for kicks.

Hmmm... The mining operations Google seems interested in sound very promising and I'm on the edge of my seat to hear what Google plans to announce to the world on this soon. They have the vision, money AND power all at once to make things happen.


On weaponising though? Well... I'm confused, OP. Who would this be used against? Something large enough to make it to Earth and through the atmosphere, down to the surface would be a threat to all mankind, not just a surgical strike on a surface target. It's that whole momentum and inertia thing for energy released as I understand it. Even one the size of the family car would have an out-sized effect far far beyond any relation to it's size and mass.

Am I right on this? I know we have space experts..and I believe a few professionals who work in the field around here?

That is the other issue though.. mass. How would they ever 'nudge' and change direction to the point of making it deliberate and specific for a new heading and actual destination? Again..I'm no astrophysicist and they closed the Holiday Inn Express around here, so aren't I really SOL...however..I understand these Asteroids to be so enormous in mass and weight by how we'd compare and think of such things, it'd take more than we have to change the direction of one in more than a random way?

In response to the comments so far.
1. Asteroids only disintegrate or have air burst, depending on what they are made out of.
An Iron asteroid would simply go straight through the atmosphere and smash into the earth.
2. Heavy objects are not difficult to "nudge"in the vacuum of space, there is no gravity or air resistance. So very easy to move giant things in fact. Thats why ion engines are so effective for space travel but not so great at pushing against gravity on earth.
3. According to science, it was predicted where the comet impacts would hit Jupiter. They can also predict years in advance where object will be in space by mapping out the trajectories. If you strapped a small ion engine onto an asteroid you could even direct it to pin point precision on the globe. Just like a missile.

Originally posted by phishyblankwaters
reply to post by splitlevel

 

Stop and think for a second.

We put satellites into orbit, control them to the milimeter from computers, yet can't tell you where they will impact once they come back down.

Yet we will be able to accurately target an asteroid?

Hmm, wait a second, I'm sure I've heard this theory before. Yes, infact I did, a race of aliens who resemble bugs start lobbing asteroids at earth, so we get a bunch of TROOPERS and dump them into a STARSHIP and epic campy B movie action ensues.

Anyways, I can see the advantage of this, but the risk is too high, 1 milimeter off and you wipe out Atlanta. What if it's an air burst instead of an impact? Google Tunguska. what if it misses land and hits the ocean? Deep impact.

Our leaders are crazy, but not that crazy, once we have a moon base colony, sure, I could see them risking the entire planet for kicks.

Satellites, fall to earth. they are not aimed at earth.

Originally posted by splitlevel
Has this theory ever been proposed before?

edit on 25-4-2012 by splitlevel because: (no reason given)

I think so some even feel some et/aliens would do it to trim the herd of EA*RTH. As far as EA*RTH based influences doing it it would be to risky w/o advance technology to produce hypothetical outcomes for it may hit the oceans and harm the very individuals who tried to guide it.. Interesting pov.

Hammer of God, Thor's Hammer, Lucifers Hammer...

reply to post by abeverage


Dont forget Abaddon/Apollyon

This type of system would be useful for targeting external threats, however.