NASA rings in 4th with stellar fireworks!

POSTED BY: AURaptor
UPDATED: Monday, July 4, 2005 18:37
VIEWED: 1914
PAGE 1 of 1

AURAPTOR

Monday, July 4, 2005 5:06 PM

Nasa probe strikes Comet Tempel 1

US space agency (Nasa) scientists are celebrating after seeing a probe crash into the heart of a comet.

The washing machine-sized "impactor" collided with Comet Tempel 1 at a relative speed of 37,000km/h, throwing up a huge plume of icy debris.

The probe's mothership, the Deep Impact spacecraft, watched the event from a safe distance, sending images to Earth.

"We hit it just exactly where we wanted to," said an ecstatic Dr Don Yeomans, a Nasa mission scientist.

"The impact was bigger than I expected, and bigger than most of us expected. We've got all the data we could possibly ask for."

Good job, guys!!

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

GROUNDED

Monday, July 4, 2005 5:19 PM

I happened to catch a bit of The Sky At Night last night and one of the experts said they only had a 50/50 chance of hitting the comet

AURAPTOR

Monday, July 4, 2005 5:29 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Grounded:
I happened to catch a bit of The Sky At Night last night and one of the experts said they only had a 50/50 chance of hitting the comet

'Expert' what? heh heh.

There was 10,000 spectators watching a live feed as the probe hit the impact. How damn exciting is that ? I remember sitting by the computer when the Mars rovers landed just a few yrs ago.

Hopefully, I'll be able to go check out a shuttle launch, if all goes according to schedule.

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

CYBERSNARK

Monday, July 4, 2005 6:37 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Grounded:
I happened to catch a bit of The Sky At Night last night and one of the experts said they only had a 50/50 chance of hitting the comet

Well, given NASA's demonstrated skill with accurately hitting/catching things. . .

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