[ExI] Asteroid on track for possible Mars hit

[spike]

...
> 
> Wikipedia mentions:  >> Tsar Bomba device: 50 Mt - USSR, most powerful
> explosive device ever, mass of 27 short tons (24 metric tons)...


With current rockets it isn't clear to me that we can hoist this much mass
out of the earth's gravity well.  Perhaps we could assemble a rocket in LEO
that would do it.


> ...
> 
> Would such a blast have any effect on the forward momentum of the
> remaining mass?...

If you are suggesting stopping the object in its tracks, I do think not.
But you did give me an idea.  Since the object is under the gravitational
influence of the sun, then slowing the object slightly *might* cause it to
miss the earth, depending on its orbit.

> 
> The Mars asteroid is estimated to be moving 8 miles a second.
> 
> Assuming we had the same 2 week notice we had for Mars and it took us a
> week to put in place our defense, deflection would probably not be
option...

Ja I think we all agree we need lots of notice ahead of time to have any
chance at all.


spike