Friday, June 27, 2008

H.R. 6063: ZOMG Asteroidz!!!

Full Text

SEC. 803. REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION.

The Administrator shall issue requests for information on--

(1) a low-cost space mission with the purpose of rendezvousing with and characterizing the Apophis asteroid, which scientists estimate will in 2029 pass at a distance from Earth that is closer than geostationary satellites; and

(2) a medium-sized space mission with the purpose of detecting near-Earth objects equal to or greater than 140 meters in diameter.
The House of Representatives just directed NASA to plan for a mission to go assess and, dare we hope, blows up an Asteroid so that it does not hit Earth in 2029.

8 comments:

Roscoe said...

Pff. 2029.

That's crazy time. I want the bomb set us up now.

_J_ said...

I really like this. I like it when government has to acknowledge that their puny little rules and puny little man-laws are secondary to the world in which we live and the reality in which we dwell.

It's a good day when the U.S. government has to acknowledge that this could all end if a big fucking rock hits Earth.

Roscoe said...

.... Even though they'll have to burn ASSLOADS of non-renewable resources to do so?

...thereby... you know... ending it all, as sure as if a big fucking rock had hit the Earth?

_J_ said...

Cost/Benefit analysis of using nonrenewable fuels to prevent rock from hitting Earth, ending all life? Worth it.

Cost/Benefit analysis of using nonrenewable fuels to prevent your grass from getting too tall? Not worth it.

Roscoe said...

Why?

You're only delaying the inevitable, by your standards in the other thread.

Andrew said...

I think this was an episode of Stargate.

Roscoe said...

We should totally sue, then.

Stupid Stargate stealing my arguments with J.

_J_ said...

I never really liked Stargate.

This does nothing to change that.