Astronomers Say Revised Figures Raise Chances Of Mars Impact | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-05.05.25

Airborne-NextGen-05.06.25

AirborneUnlimited-05.07.25

Airborne-Unlimited-05.01.25

AirborneUnlimited-05.02.25

Tue, Jan 01, 2008

Astronomers Say Revised Figures Raise Chances Of Mars Impact

Show 1-In-25 Odds Asteroid Will Hit Planet

Mars had best watch out. One week after scientists with the Near-Earth Object Program at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena said the asteroid 2007 WD5 had a 1-in-75 chance of hitting Mars at the end of the month, a revised look at the data suggests the odds have grown a lot closer than that.

Last week, based on more study of the asteroid's trajectory and history, those scientists raised odds of the impact to 1-in-25, or four percent. Those aren't overwhelming odds, of course... but it's a significant increase over what astronomers had already termed a close call for the red planet.

"I think it'll be cool," Don Yeomans, manager at the Near-Earth Object Program, told CBS News. "Usually when an asteroid is headed toward Earth, I'm not rooting for an impact."

More updates are expected as the date draws closer -- and it's likely the odds of impact will decrease in the coming weeks, as scientists are able to take a better look at how the asteroid is behaving. The risk of impact usually "peaks before plummeting to zero with additional data," Yeomans added.

As ANN reported, 2007 WD5 is 164 feet wide, and will produce a serious impact event if it hits Mars. Should the asteroid impact the planet, the Mars Opportunity rover will have a front-row seat to the event, as it is presently exploring an area just outside the projected impact zone.

FMI: http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/

Advertisement

More News

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (05.05.25): Circle To Runway (Runway Number)

Circle To Runway (Runway Number) Used by ATC to inform the pilot that he/she must circle to land because the runway in use is other than the runway aligned with the instrument appr>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (05.05.25)

Aero Linx: National Aviation Safety Foundation (NASF) The National Aviation Safety Foundation is a support group whose objective is to enhance aviation safety through educational p>[...]

NTSB Prelim: De Havilland DHC-1

At Altitude Of About 250-300 Ft Agl, The Airplane Experienced A Total Loss Of Engine Power On November 6, 2024, at 1600 central standard time, a De Havilland DHC-1, N420TD, was inv>[...]

Classic Aero-TV: The Boeing Dreamliner -- Historic First Flight Coverage

From 2009 (YouTube Edition): Three Hour Flight Was 'Flawless' -- At Least, Until Mother Nature Intervened For anyone who loves the aviation business, this was a VERY good day. Afte>[...]

Airborne-NextGen 05.06.25: AF Uncrewed Fighters, Drones v Planes, Joby Crew Test

Also: AMA Names Tyler Dobbs, More Falcon 9 Ops, Firefly Launch Unsuccessful, Autonomous F-16s The Air Force has begun ground testing a future uncrewed jet design in a milestone tow>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC