Well I can't speak for everyone, but I would certainly donate something
to the cause, it won't be much but perhaps others could as well. Perhaps
a fundraiser. How many millions are needed? ;) CSS-II sound like a great
idea. How exciting!
I think this is just the kind of science we need in the meteorite world.
Meteorites are related to just about every science in some way, and I
can't think of a more exciting prospect than to find and hunt asteroids
that will become meteorites. Now how cool is that?
Great work Richard, and congrats again to Greg!
Regards,
Eric
On 3/11/2010 12:25 PM, Richard Kowalski wrote:
--- On Thu, 3/11/10, Meteorites USA <[email protected]> wrote:
> Now who's going to find the next
> one? Greg, Richard? Anyone?
Thanks Eric.
Every year since 2005, we have discovered a record breaking number of
new NEOs. Before October 2008, we had discussed discovering small
impactors, but without much expectation of actually doing it. Since
then, we have spent a lot more time discussing requirements and
strategies needed to increase our odds in discovering more of these
objects in their terminal plunge without hindering our primary
responsibility, discovering and tracking NEOs which are 1-km in
diameter and larger.
Some of you may have read about our proposed second phase survey,
dubbed "CSS-II" in the National Research Council's "Defending Planet
Earth: Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies:
Final Report", which was released a few months ago. We are confident
that this system would likely turn up more small sized impactors
before the terminal plunge.
If funded, CSS-II would be a follow on and expansion of our current
survey, which is funded through 2013. We are also investigating ways
to obtain cameras with larger sensors and Fields of View than our
current cameras. These new cameras would allow us to cover even
greater amount of sky in less time. This would also have the added
benefit of increasing the odds of finding more small impactors.
It is unlikely that any other current or future survey, with the
exception of CSS/CSS-II, will be able to discover these suicidal rocks
before (or if), LSST becomes operational sometime after 2016.
Unfortunately with current government budgetary constraints, this
desirable upgrade may not take place unless we find a private benefactor.
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