I didn't like how they harped on how important the manned mission to NEOs was to deflecting NEOs. We've already sent probes to NEOs
Quote from: mlindner on 03/22/2013 08:42 pmI didn't like how they harped on how important the manned mission to NEOs was to deflecting NEOs. We've already sent probes to NEOsand they returned information that was basically inconclusive. We know what questions we should have been asking as a result of sending probes to NEOs, but we've yet to answer those questions. After a dozen iterations or so we might know enough to sensibly talk about deflection. Sending human investigators will get much better data and a lot faster.
What that implies is that if they share common characteristics, then there may be many different types, meaning that the best way to gather data is to go to a lot of them. You cannot do that with people.
Quote from: Blackstar on 03/23/2013 12:59 amWhat that implies is that if they share common characteristics, then there may be many different types, meaning that the best way to gather data is to go to a lot of them. You cannot do that with people.Yes, they need to go to all the different types.Why does it always have to be an either/or question when it comes to humans vs robotic?You get different data from each. I wasn't claiming you could do without the robotic probes, but mlindner was claiming you could do without sending humans. No-one can sensibly claim that any number of today's probes will return the kind of data we'd get from sending humans. When discussing Mars, the answer is often given: build better robots, or wait until AI is available (yeah right). The implication being that there's no rush. When talking about planetary defense, that logic simply doesn't work. We need all the available data, and as quickly as practical.
Huh? Pray, what information can a human gain by being there that a probe with multispectral imagery and spectroscopy can't get?
Yes, they need to go to all the different types.Why does it always have to be an either/or question when it comes to humans vs robotic?You get different data from each. I wasn't claiming you could do without the robotic probes, but mlindner was claiming you could do without sending humans. No-one can sensibly claim that any number of today's probes will return the kind of data we'd get from sending humans. When discussing Mars, the answer is often given: build better robots, or wait until AI is available (yeah right). The implication being that there's no rush. When talking about planetary defense, that logic simply doesn't work. We need all the available data, and as quickly as practical.
"However, if human missions to NEOs are conducted in the future, the committee recommends that their scientific aspects be maximized to provide data useful for their characterization."
http://www.spacepolitics.com/2013/03/21/combating-the-perception-of-a-lack-of-consensus/“That’s what the President told us to do, and that’s what the Congress told us to do,” [Bolden] said of the 2025 asteroid mission. “And it’s also something that I think is important, and I’m the NASA administrator. It is the right thing to do.”[Comments]QuoteEgadMarch 21, 2013 at 9:13 am · Reply Just to be clear, did you (Jeff) take Mr. Bolden to mean that NASA’s HSF activities are aimed toward an asteroid visit ca. 2025? And that we should be interpreting what they’ve said about crewed SLS flights (EM-3 and EM-4) in that timeframe (2023 and 2025) in that light? What about the first cargo flight in 2029?QuoteJeff FoustMarch 21, 2013 at 9:25 am Yes, Bolden was clear that a human asteroid mission by 2025 was a current goal of NASA. He did not discuss yesterday specifics about how to achieve that goal beyond the development of SLS and Orion.
EgadMarch 21, 2013 at 9:13 am · Reply Just to be clear, did you (Jeff) take Mr. Bolden to mean that NASA’s HSF activities are aimed toward an asteroid visit ca. 2025? And that we should be interpreting what they’ve said about crewed SLS flights (EM-3 and EM-4) in that timeframe (2023 and 2025) in that light? What about the first cargo flight in 2029?
Jeff FoustMarch 21, 2013 at 9:25 am Yes, Bolden was clear that a human asteroid mission by 2025 was a current goal of NASA. He did not discuss yesterday specifics about how to achieve that goal beyond the development of SLS and Orion.
http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/news/bolden-no-lack-of-consensus-on-nasas-stragetic-directionBolden: No Lack of Consensus on NASA's Strategic DirectionLaura M. DelgadoPosted: 22-Mar-2013Updated: 22-Mar-2013 05:41 PM<snip>In response to a criticism that has been made since the goal was announced that the specific destination asteroid has not been named, Bolden said that when President Kennedy announced men would land on the Moon before the end of the decade, he did not say they would land on the Sea of Tranquility. "I can’t tell you which asteroid, but there will be one in 2025," Bolden asserted.
http://www.spacesafetymagazine.com/2013/03/20/bolden-addresses-hearing-asteroid-threats/A U.S House of Representatives hearing was held March 19th, 2013 covering the recently popular subject of asteroids and meteorite strikes.The hearing, titled "Threats from Space: A Review of U.S. Government Efforts to Track and Mitigate Asteroids and Meteors", was held before the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.The text below is an excerpt from a prepared statement from NASA Administrator, Charles Bolden.<snip>QuoteFinally, NASA is working to accomplish an astronaut visit to an asteroid by 2025. This mission, and the vital precursor activities that will be necessary to ensure its success, should result in additional insight into the nature and composition of NEOs and will increase our capability to approach and interact with asteroids.
Finally, NASA is working to accomplish an astronaut visit to an asteroid by 2025. This mission, and the vital precursor activities that will be necessary to ensure its success, should result in additional insight into the nature and composition of NEOs and will increase our capability to approach and interact with asteroids.
Pray, what information can a human gain by being there that a probe with multispectral imagery and spectroscopy can't get? (Don't mention sample return, a robot can do that too, it just hasn't been done yet.)
During the hearing, Holdren referred on a number of occasions to this book:http://www.amazon.com/Near-Earth-Objects-Finding-Them-Before/dp/0691149291/
I don't see how that can possibly be true, but if it is, I hope that some thought is being given to maximizing those scientific aspects.
Quote from: ChileVerde on 03/23/2013 01:17 pmI don't see how that can possibly be true, but if it is, I hope that some thought is being given to maximizing those scientific aspects.There are actually a couple of more important steps before that one.
Yeah, as simonbp put it succinctly in another thread, just spend a day or two examining the asteroid spectroscopically to figure out where you need to sample, and then collect the samples. Astronauts won't add much except for a lot of costs and constraints. Big bodies like Ceres and Vesta might be different, but for this purpose lots of robotic probes are the way to go.
Statement of Dr. John P. HoldrenDirector, Office of Science and Technology PolicyExecutive Office of the President of the United Statesto theCommittee on Science, Space, and TechnologyUnited States House of RepresentativesonMarch 19, 2013<snip>And of course NASA is committed to carrying out the President's goal of conducting a human mission to an asteroid by 2025. That mission will benefit from current efforts to detect, track, and characterize NEOs by speeding the identification of potential targets for exploration. And in return, such a mission will generate invaluable information for use in future detection and mitigation efforts.
The best way to get to an asteroid is to invest in detection.That way mission options open.So are they funding detector spacecraft or are they just promising a NEA mission in around 15 years when they're all retired and it's not their problem?
Quote from: Proponent on 03/23/2013 01:52 pmYeah, as simonbp put it succinctly in another thread, just spend a day or two examining the asteroid spectroscopically to figure out where you need to sample, and then collect the samples. Astronauts won't add much except for a lot of costs and constraints. Big bodies like Ceres and Vesta might be different, but for this purpose lots of robotic probes are the way to go.What's your time frame? There's currently neither the robotic sophistication nor the human spaceflight capability to do that.