path@ux.acss.umn.edu (Patrick A. Hillmeyer) (11/22/89)
From: "Patrick A. Hillmeyer" <path@ux.acss.umn.edu>
I just read an article in the newspaper today about geologists who believe
they have located the crater from the asteroid strike that wiped out the
dinosaurs. As I was reading this I got to wondering....
If an asteroid was about to strike the Earth tommorrow, next year, or even
five minutes from now, what amount of warning would we get? Would NASA, NORAD,
SAC, or the European or Soviet equivalents be able to provide any practical
degree of warning? If they could give a warning would it be early enough to
do anything? I'm not talking about enough warning to evacuate people (I don't
think we have anywhere near that amout of warning capability and if we did we'd
also be able to stop the strike). I'm wondering if there would be enough time
to get out the word that this is a natural disaster and not a first strike.
After all, if there was very little warning or none at all, the first
indication would detection of a fast moving, inbound object toward the target
area and then reports of massive destruction. What would keep the unfortunate
target country from thinking it was under attack (especially if tensions were
already high due to other reasons)? Are there any kind of US/Soviet or
international/UN agreements on this type of thing? Does anybody know what the
military has in the way of detection capability for objects coming in from
space? Are there any contingency plans for contacting the Soviets immediately
and assuring them that it wasn't a US attack (if it should hit the USSR)? If
it struck the US is there any way for us to immediately know that it wasn't
a Soviet surprise attack?
I just don't like the idea that a natural disaster could trigger a nuclear
exchange. I'd like to think that there are backup plans and failsafes to
prevent this from happening.
-Pat
P.S. please use sci.military for militarily related followups and sci.space
for non-militarily related followups - Thank you.
[mod.note: Followup-to: set to sci.space. Correct as needed. - Bill ]
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09 NOV 1989 The Wall comes down
10 NOV 1989 The 214th birthday of the United States Marine Corps
disclaimer : I don't speak for the Navy, I don't speak for the Marine Corps,
and I don't speak for the U of MN.
Patrick A. Hillmeyer (path@ux.acss.umn.edu)
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