NASA Spacecraft To Enter Large Asteroid's Orbit On July 15 - NASA Science
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/15jul_dawn2/
On July 15, NASA's ion-propelled Dawn probe will become the first spacecraft to enter orbit around a main-belt asteroid. Dawn will orbit Vesta for one Earth-year, studying the giant space rock at close range to help scientists understand the earliest chapter of our solar system's history.
After studying Vesta, Dawn will then go on to Ceres, making it the first spacecraft to orbit two solar system bodies.
This is a very important reason, and not just for scientific reasons: We need to know more about the sort of minerals that makes up the bodies of the main asteroid belt as well as other bodies in the solar system -- the only source of rare earth elements so far is in China, and the only source of helium on Earth, a well in Kansas, is running dry. The former are needed for all sorts of industrial applications, and the latter is essential for MRI scans, which require supercooling of the magnets that underlie that technology, as well as for other advanced technology. The main asteroid belt is not that distant from Mars's orbit, and could well be replete with most or all of the chemical elements needed here on Earth. Not to mention that it is replete with iron, nickel, and carbon compounds for which there is a crying need on our world. So this survey of the two largest asteroids in the main belt could be the beginning of a bonanza rush to provide Earth with what we need here -- and create enormous wealth for everyone.
Either that, or we will have to learn to live without our high-tech civilization. Which would mean an enormous die-off of humanity, one that wouldn't spare the Left, either. You choose.
On July 15, NASA's ion-propelled Dawn probe will become the first spacecraft to enter orbit around a main-belt asteroid. Dawn will orbit Vesta for one Earth-year, studying the giant space rock at close range to help scientists understand the earliest chapter of our solar system's history.
After studying Vesta, Dawn will then go on to Ceres, making it the first spacecraft to orbit two solar system bodies.
This is a very important reason, and not just for scientific reasons: We need to know more about the sort of minerals that makes up the bodies of the main asteroid belt as well as other bodies in the solar system -- the only source of rare earth elements so far is in China, and the only source of helium on Earth, a well in Kansas, is running dry. The former are needed for all sorts of industrial applications, and the latter is essential for MRI scans, which require supercooling of the magnets that underlie that technology, as well as for other advanced technology. The main asteroid belt is not that distant from Mars's orbit, and could well be replete with most or all of the chemical elements needed here on Earth. Not to mention that it is replete with iron, nickel, and carbon compounds for which there is a crying need on our world. So this survey of the two largest asteroids in the main belt could be the beginning of a bonanza rush to provide Earth with what we need here -- and create enormous wealth for everyone.
Either that, or we will have to learn to live without our high-tech civilization. Which would mean an enormous die-off of humanity, one that wouldn't spare the Left, either. You choose.