1 00:00:12,390 --> 00:00:09,830 and qe2 is about 1.7 miles in size and 2 00:00:15,910 --> 00:00:12,400 we know it's a safe distance away it's 3 00:00:17,750 --> 00:00:15,920 about 3.6 million miles from the planet 4 00:00:19,830 --> 00:00:17,760 and we have an image that you're looking 5 00:00:21,750 --> 00:00:19,840 at right now it was taken yesterday from 6 00:00:24,710 --> 00:00:21,760 the south african astronomical 7 00:00:26,950 --> 00:00:24,720 observatory so indeed 8 00:00:29,589 --> 00:00:26,960 telescopes around the world are 9 00:00:31,830 --> 00:00:29,599 beginning to see it we are right now in 10 00:00:34,790 --> 00:00:31,840 mission control to bring you a preview 11 00:00:36,950 --> 00:00:34,800 show of qe2 and give you some tips on 12 00:00:38,950 --> 00:00:36,960 how to see it for yourself and also 13 00:00:41,350 --> 00:00:38,960 answer some of your questions posted on 14 00:00:43,990 --> 00:00:41,360 social media and this is all before 15 00:00:50,389 --> 00:00:44,000 closest approach which occurs tomorrow 16 00:00:54,869 --> 00:00:50,399 may 31st at 1 59 pm pacific 4 59 eastern 17 00:00:57,430 --> 00:00:54,879 time and 20 59 utc 18 00:01:00,310 --> 00:00:57,440 hello everyone i'm gay hill we'll be 19 00:01:02,709 --> 00:01:00,320 talking to folks at the south african 20 00:01:04,310 --> 00:01:02,719 observatory in just a moment but let's 21 00:01:07,350 --> 00:01:04,320 give you a little background on the 22 00:01:09,750 --> 00:01:07,360 asteroid protecting the planet is a nasa 23 00:01:12,149 --> 00:01:09,760 priority and though this asteroid is not 24 00:01:14,550 --> 00:01:12,159 a threat it is an excellent learning 25 00:01:17,590 --> 00:01:14,560 opportunity nasa will be getting its 26 00:01:20,230 --> 00:01:17,600 best look at this asteroid ever using 27 00:01:22,230 --> 00:01:20,240 advanced and detailed radar let me 28 00:01:24,630 --> 00:01:22,240 introduce you right now to paul chodes 29 00:01:27,030 --> 00:01:24,640 he's a scientist with nasa's near earth 30 00:01:30,230 --> 00:01:27,040 object program office based right here 31 00:01:31,510 --> 00:01:30,240 at jpl the neo program has already 32 00:01:34,710 --> 00:01:31,520 identified 33 00:01:37,510 --> 00:01:34,720 95 percent of the asteroids that have 34 00:01:39,350 --> 00:01:37,520 orbits very close to earth and are over 35 00:01:41,749 --> 00:01:39,360 one kilometer 36 00:01:45,429 --> 00:01:41,759 in diameter which is about a half a mile 37 00:01:47,510 --> 00:01:45,439 in diameter 1998 kiwi do happens to be 38 00:01:49,270 --> 00:01:47,520 one of these that we're talking about 39 00:01:51,030 --> 00:01:49,280 and paul why don't you just kind of 40 00:01:52,870 --> 00:01:51,040 brief us tell us a little bit about this 41 00:01:55,109 --> 00:01:52,880 particular asteroid well this is one of 42 00:01:57,270 --> 00:01:55,119 the big ones so it's one of the 95 43 00:01:59,190 --> 00:01:57,280 percent that we've characterized it was 44 00:02:02,630 --> 00:01:59,200 discovered about 15 years ago and it's 45 00:02:04,789 --> 00:02:02,640 one of the initial successes of our 46 00:02:06,149 --> 00:02:04,799 efforts to find the big asteroids that 47 00:02:08,309 --> 00:02:06,159 could hit the earth and cause global 48 00:02:10,309 --> 00:02:08,319 catastrophe so it's certainly one to 49 00:02:11,830 --> 00:02:10,319 keep an eye on we know it's passing at a 50 00:02:16,550 --> 00:02:11,840 comfortable distance 51 00:02:18,710 --> 00:02:16,560 and the name why why 1998 qe2 there's a 52 00:02:20,630 --> 00:02:18,720 formula to this right yes it's not named 53 00:02:22,550 --> 00:02:20,640 after the ocean liner it's not named 54 00:02:25,030 --> 00:02:22,560 after queen elizabeth ii it's it's a 55 00:02:27,110 --> 00:02:25,040 standard asteroid name 1998 is the year 56 00:02:31,030 --> 00:02:27,120 it was discovered and q indicates the 57 00:02:33,430 --> 00:02:31,040 month and e2 um it was the previous one 58 00:02:35,670 --> 00:02:33,440 was d2 and the next one would be f2 it's 59 00:02:38,070 --> 00:02:35,680 just a standard designation all right so 60 00:02:41,990 --> 00:02:38,080 you gave us an image yesterday to show 61 00:02:43,670 --> 00:02:42,000 us the orbit of qe2 and we can go to it 62 00:02:45,910 --> 00:02:43,680 right now and take a look at it it's 63 00:02:47,990 --> 00:02:45,920 pretty large yes this is an eccentric 64 00:02:50,390 --> 00:02:48,000 orbit you can see that it right now it's 65 00:02:52,309 --> 00:02:50,400 right beside the earth very close but at 66 00:02:54,630 --> 00:02:52,319 its farthest point from the sun it goes 67 00:02:56,550 --> 00:02:54,640 out to the outer asteroid belt in fact 68 00:02:58,630 --> 00:02:56,560 pretty close to the orbit of jupiter so 69 00:03:01,110 --> 00:02:58,640 it's an eccentric orbit in a way it's a 70 00:03:04,070 --> 00:03:01,120 visitor from deep space and you also 71 00:03:06,070 --> 00:03:04,080 gave us a a graphic to show us the 72 00:03:08,390 --> 00:03:06,080 closest approach to kind of give us an 73 00:03:10,149 --> 00:03:08,400 understanding of how far away it really 74 00:03:11,910 --> 00:03:10,159 is just to put it in perspective that's 75 00:03:14,390 --> 00:03:11,920 right and we have that image right here 76 00:03:16,070 --> 00:03:14,400 it is uh yes you can see on the left is 77 00:03:18,070 --> 00:03:16,080 the earth and the ring around the earth 78 00:03:20,550 --> 00:03:18,080 is the moon's orbit for scale you can 79 00:03:23,190 --> 00:03:20,560 see that the asteroid passes by i put 80 00:03:25,190 --> 00:03:23,200 the dates on this diagram it's about 15 81 00:03:26,550 --> 00:03:25,200 times farther than the moon is from the 82 00:03:28,789 --> 00:03:26,560 earth so it's a very comfortable 83 00:03:29,670 --> 00:03:28,799 distance but for an asteroid this size 84 00:03:34,550 --> 00:03:29,680 that's 85 00:03:36,390 --> 00:03:34,560 would keep an eye on if it for any 86 00:03:38,470 --> 00:03:36,400 reason gets closer 87 00:03:39,589 --> 00:03:38,480 to us than the distance we have right 88 00:03:41,190 --> 00:03:39,599 here 89 00:03:43,270 --> 00:03:41,200 exactly we want to keep an eye on all of 90 00:03:44,630 --> 00:03:43,280 the these asteroids especially the large 91 00:03:46,390 --> 00:03:44,640 ones and 92 00:03:48,550 --> 00:03:46,400 we don't know of any 93 00:03:49,830 --> 00:03:48,560 uh asteroids that have a significant 94 00:03:51,670 --> 00:03:49,840 chance of hitting the earth right now 95 00:03:53,670 --> 00:03:51,680 but we calculate the orbits for all of 96 00:03:55,670 --> 00:03:53,680 them and project them into the future so 97 00:03:57,830 --> 00:03:55,680 we're familiar with this particular 98 00:03:59,589 --> 00:03:57,840 asteroid do we know what it's made of 99 00:04:01,589 --> 00:03:59,599 what are some of the characteristics 100 00:04:03,990 --> 00:04:01,599 things like that yes this uh this 101 00:04:05,589 --> 00:04:04,000 asteroid is what we call a c type and we 102 00:04:07,990 --> 00:04:05,599 think that is associated with 103 00:04:10,149 --> 00:04:08,000 carbonaceous chondrite meteorites so we 104 00:04:12,470 --> 00:04:10,159 have an example of a carbonaceous 105 00:04:14,229 --> 00:04:12,480 chondrite meteorite it's very dark this 106 00:04:16,870 --> 00:04:14,239 the outer crust of course is black as 107 00:04:18,789 --> 00:04:16,880 many meteorites are but even the inside 108 00:04:21,909 --> 00:04:18,799 is very dark indeed it's a very 109 00:04:24,469 --> 00:04:21,919 primitive type of meteorite formed in 110 00:04:26,710 --> 00:04:24,479 the outer solar system it has amino 111 00:04:28,950 --> 00:04:26,720 acids in it organic compounds and a lot 112 00:04:31,990 --> 00:04:28,960 of carbon which makes it dark so it is a 113 00:04:34,550 --> 00:04:32,000 very dark object all right so we have 114 00:04:36,469 --> 00:04:34,560 been briefed a little bit on qe2 and 115 00:04:38,550 --> 00:04:36,479 let's go ahead and speak to some folks 116 00:04:41,909 --> 00:04:38,560 who have actually seen it 117 00:04:44,710 --> 00:04:41,919 qe2 was discovered 15 years ago in a 118 00:04:47,350 --> 00:04:44,720 survey using optical telescopes and the 119 00:04:49,670 --> 00:04:47,360 south african astronomical observatory 120 00:04:51,590 --> 00:04:49,680 in sutherland is a 121 00:04:54,310 --> 00:04:51,600 optical telescope it's used for 122 00:04:57,189 --> 00:04:54,320 education and also research and on the 123 00:04:59,990 --> 00:04:57,199 line right now is nick loring she is one 124 00:05:01,590 --> 00:05:00,000 of the astronomers at that facility nick 125 00:05:03,270 --> 00:05:01,600 what do you see what did you see last 126 00:05:08,070 --> 00:05:03,280 night 127 00:05:09,990 --> 00:05:08,080 saw the asteroid 128 00:05:12,150 --> 00:05:10,000 so what we could see was we could see a 129 00:05:14,550 --> 00:05:12,160 few background styles which were just 130 00:05:15,510 --> 00:05:14,560 like white specks of light which weren't 131 00:05:17,909 --> 00:05:15,520 moving 132 00:05:19,830 --> 00:05:17,919 and then we actually saw this white star 133 00:05:23,189 --> 00:05:19,840 that looked like a star moving across 134 00:05:24,550 --> 00:05:23,199 the field just very very slowly and um 135 00:05:26,230 --> 00:05:24,560 we we knew immediately that was the 136 00:05:27,749 --> 00:05:26,240 asteroid because it was moving against 137 00:05:30,150 --> 00:05:27,759 the the background of the stationary 138 00:05:31,990 --> 00:05:30,160 stars so so it just looked like a white 139 00:05:33,590 --> 00:05:32,000 dot it actually looked like a star it's 140 00:05:34,870 --> 00:05:33,600 just so we could tell it wasn't a star 141 00:05:37,270 --> 00:05:34,880 because it was moving relative to the 142 00:05:39,430 --> 00:05:37,280 background stars was this difficult to 143 00:05:44,310 --> 00:05:39,440 find 144 00:05:46,710 --> 00:05:44,320 because um the asteroids orbit has been 145 00:05:50,390 --> 00:05:46,720 it's been mapped very well and it's um 146 00:05:52,550 --> 00:05:50,400 we actually use jpl's web page to 147 00:05:54,469 --> 00:05:52,560 find the coordinates at a specific time 148 00:05:56,469 --> 00:05:54,479 point at the telescope at the at the 149 00:05:59,270 --> 00:05:56,479 coordinates and there it was right right 150 00:06:01,830 --> 00:05:59,280 in the middle well that's uh paul the uh 151 00:06:03,670 --> 00:06:01,840 nick mentioned that she used jpl's 152 00:06:05,590 --> 00:06:03,680 website to help her with the coordinates 153 00:06:06,469 --> 00:06:05,600 could you talk a little bit about that 154 00:06:08,150 --> 00:06:06,479 well 155 00:06:10,230 --> 00:06:08,160 asteroids are 156 00:06:12,230 --> 00:06:10,240 observed by astronomers around the world 157 00:06:13,510 --> 00:06:12,240 and all of the data is collected into a 158 00:06:15,350 --> 00:06:13,520 large set of 159 00:06:17,029 --> 00:06:15,360 observations which we then use to 160 00:06:18,950 --> 00:06:17,039 calculate an orbit and run it into the 161 00:06:21,110 --> 00:06:18,960 future and so we can 162 00:06:23,749 --> 00:06:21,120 predict where she should look to find 163 00:06:25,590 --> 00:06:23,759 this asteroid and uh we know pretty well 164 00:06:27,189 --> 00:06:25,600 pretty accurately where it is so the if 165 00:06:28,950 --> 00:06:27,199 the predictions you get from our website 166 00:06:31,029 --> 00:06:28,960 on the orbital elements and where to 167 00:06:33,189 --> 00:06:31,039 look are quite accurate we're glad to 168 00:06:35,110 --> 00:06:33,199 hear that was helpful nick and now how 169 00:06:38,550 --> 00:06:35,120 are people reacting to this are they 170 00:06:40,070 --> 00:06:38,560 very enthused and excited 171 00:06:41,670 --> 00:06:40,080 absolutely yeah people are really 172 00:06:43,909 --> 00:06:41,680 excited because i think it's just nice 173 00:06:45,350 --> 00:06:43,919 when you can actually see something um 174 00:06:47,270 --> 00:06:45,360 for your with your own eyes you know 175 00:06:49,029 --> 00:06:47,280 when when when we talk about our stories 176 00:06:51,029 --> 00:06:49,039 we think of things far away in space 177 00:06:52,550 --> 00:06:51,039 that we can't see and now all of a 178 00:06:55,350 --> 00:06:52,560 sudden they can actually watch the 179 00:06:58,309 --> 00:06:55,360 asteroid moving for themselves so we've 180 00:07:01,430 --> 00:06:58,319 had um quite a lot of um interest on our 181 00:07:03,430 --> 00:07:01,440 facebook and twitter sites and the press 182 00:07:04,629 --> 00:07:03,440 and media and family and friends you 183 00:07:06,710 --> 00:07:04,639 know we share we're sharing the 184 00:07:09,589 --> 00:07:06,720 information on facebook and we're 185 00:07:10,710 --> 00:07:09,599 getting so many sort of uh comments and 186 00:07:13,110 --> 00:07:10,720 people are really we are really 187 00:07:15,430 --> 00:07:13,120 enthusiastic so nick we have to explain 188 00:07:17,830 --> 00:07:15,440 to the audience we really were planning 189 00:07:19,430 --> 00:07:17,840 to have a view of this live but 190 00:07:21,189 --> 00:07:19,440 apparently weather is not good over 191 00:07:22,309 --> 00:07:21,199 there i understand 192 00:07:23,990 --> 00:07:22,319 yeah 193 00:07:25,749 --> 00:07:24,000 unfortunately the weather is not playing 194 00:07:27,589 --> 00:07:25,759 along tonight we had a lovely clear 195 00:07:28,710 --> 00:07:27,599 night yesterday we got some really good 196 00:07:30,629 --> 00:07:28,720 footage 197 00:07:33,589 --> 00:07:30,639 and tonight unfortunately we've been in 198 00:07:35,350 --> 00:07:33,599 and out of cloud and just prior to um 199 00:07:37,029 --> 00:07:35,360 the start of the program it's really 200 00:07:39,430 --> 00:07:37,039 clouded up for us so we've just been 201 00:07:42,830 --> 00:07:39,440 unlucky unfortunately but that's how it 202 00:07:44,550 --> 00:07:42,840 goes it's it's part of the territory i 203 00:07:45,909 --> 00:07:44,560 understand 204 00:07:48,230 --> 00:07:45,919 part of the package of being an 205 00:07:49,749 --> 00:07:48,240 astronomer is sitting up in the mountain 206 00:07:51,589 --> 00:07:49,759 in the freezing cold 207 00:07:53,430 --> 00:07:51,599 you know under cloud 208 00:07:55,830 --> 00:07:53,440 all right well thank you so much that 209 00:07:58,469 --> 00:07:55,840 was nick loring she is with the south 210 00:08:01,110 --> 00:07:58,479 african astronomical observatory in 211 00:08:04,070 --> 00:08:01,120 sutherland south africa thank you very 212 00:08:06,469 --> 00:08:04,080 very much for helping us out today 213 00:08:09,749 --> 00:08:06,479 well for astronomers using 214 00:08:12,309 --> 00:08:09,759 optical telescopes 1998 qe2 is faint 215 00:08:16,150 --> 00:08:12,319 it's far away it's not very exciting but 216 00:08:18,629 --> 00:08:16,160 for radar astronomers qe2 is outstanding 217 00:08:22,629 --> 00:08:18,639 with radar they have image resolution of 218 00:08:24,790 --> 00:08:22,639 about 12 feet on an object 3.6 million 219 00:08:26,550 --> 00:08:24,800 miles away and by the time they're 220 00:08:29,510 --> 00:08:26,560 through with this observation they'll 221 00:08:36,149 --> 00:08:29,520 have a better idea of qe2's orbit its 222 00:08:41,750 --> 00:08:39,350 1998 qe2 is going to make a relatively 223 00:08:44,389 --> 00:08:41,760 close approach to earth on may 31st the 224 00:08:46,310 --> 00:08:44,399 orbit for this object is very well known 225 00:08:48,710 --> 00:08:46,320 it'll be to the south rising in the 226 00:08:50,949 --> 00:08:48,720 southeast setting in the southwest 227 00:08:52,949 --> 00:08:50,959 in late may especially early june it'll 228 00:08:55,350 --> 00:08:52,959 reach a visual magnitude of about 10 and 229 00:08:57,590 --> 00:08:55,360 a half to 11 and that means that amateur 230 00:08:58,949 --> 00:08:57,600 astronomers who have four or six-inch 231 00:09:00,949 --> 00:08:58,959 telescopes 232 00:09:03,509 --> 00:09:00,959 could potentially see it 233 00:09:06,389 --> 00:09:03,519 it is going to come within 15 lunar 234 00:09:08,470 --> 00:09:06,399 distances about 15 times the distance 235 00:09:11,190 --> 00:09:08,480 between the earth and the moon although 236 00:09:13,509 --> 00:09:11,200 it is labeled as a potentially hazardous 237 00:09:15,750 --> 00:09:13,519 asteroid what that really means is that 238 00:09:17,269 --> 00:09:15,760 its orbit can approach within a certain 239 00:09:18,550 --> 00:09:17,279 distance of the earth's orbit for the 240 00:09:19,910 --> 00:09:18,560 foreseeable future there's nothing to 241 00:09:22,310 --> 00:09:19,920 worry about i mean it's far more 242 00:09:24,150 --> 00:09:22,320 dangerous to walk across the street the 243 00:09:26,470 --> 00:09:24,160 asteroid is believed to be about 1.7 244 00:09:28,550 --> 00:09:26,480 miles in diameter that is about 9 qe2 245 00:09:32,310 --> 00:09:28,560 cruise ships end to end 246 00:09:34,870 --> 00:09:32,320 rotates with 5.3 hours and we know it's 247 00:09:36,949 --> 00:09:34,880 likely rounded even the most powerful 248 00:09:38,949 --> 00:09:36,959 optical telescopes and i'm talking even 249 00:09:41,110 --> 00:09:38,959 in a hubble telescope they can only see 250 00:09:43,670 --> 00:09:41,120 this asteroid as a point of light it is 251 00:09:46,070 --> 00:09:43,680 just too far and too small radar is a 252 00:09:49,829 --> 00:09:46,080 very powerful instrument that we use to 253 00:09:51,910 --> 00:09:49,839 study near-earth asteroids 254 00:09:53,990 --> 00:09:51,920 was millions of kilometers away 255 00:09:56,470 --> 00:09:54,000 and we were able to resolve surface 256 00:09:57,670 --> 00:09:56,480 rocks we could see boulders 257 00:09:58,949 --> 00:09:57,680 there are currently only two radar 258 00:10:01,110 --> 00:09:58,959 facilities in the world that have 259 00:10:03,030 --> 00:10:01,120 sufficient sensitivity for doing regular 260 00:10:05,430 --> 00:10:03,040 observations of near-earth objects 261 00:10:07,110 --> 00:10:05,440 arecibo and goldstone it provides an 262 00:10:09,030 --> 00:10:07,120 extraordinary opportunity to get very 263 00:10:11,269 --> 00:10:09,040 detailed radar images you are 264 00:10:13,509 --> 00:10:11,279 transmitting microwaves it's propagating 265 00:10:16,069 --> 00:10:13,519 at a speed of light toward the asteroid 266 00:10:18,150 --> 00:10:16,079 it is bouncing back 267 00:10:20,230 --> 00:10:18,160 and this radar echo is containing 268 00:10:22,230 --> 00:10:20,240 surface features of the asteroid it's 269 00:10:24,710 --> 00:10:22,240 telling us about its rotation 270 00:10:27,269 --> 00:10:24,720 and it's very precisely pinpointing its 271 00:10:29,509 --> 00:10:27,279 distance from the radar 272 00:10:31,030 --> 00:10:29,519 this is a great opportunity because 273 00:10:33,829 --> 00:10:31,040 instead of sending a spacecraft to an 274 00:10:35,590 --> 00:10:33,839 asteroid you are on earth an asteroid is 275 00:10:37,350 --> 00:10:35,600 coming to you we think we're going to 276 00:10:38,870 --> 00:10:37,360 see images that will rival the caliber 277 00:10:39,990 --> 00:10:38,880 of what we can get from a spacecraft fly 278 00:10:41,750 --> 00:10:40,000 by mission 279 00:10:44,550 --> 00:10:41,760 they really should be that detailed and 280 00:10:46,150 --> 00:10:44,560 opportunities like that 281 00:10:47,750 --> 00:10:46,160 they sometimes happen a few times a year 282 00:10:50,710 --> 00:10:47,760 but this is the best one that we know of 283 00:10:57,910 --> 00:10:53,509 and last night goldstone's 70 meter 284 00:11:00,389 --> 00:10:57,920 antenna also known as dss 14 was moved 285 00:11:03,990 --> 00:11:00,399 into position and pointed at asteroid 286 00:11:06,389 --> 00:11:04,000 1998 qe2 and as we heard it's one of two 287 00:11:08,949 --> 00:11:06,399 telescopes in the world that are large 288 00:11:11,509 --> 00:11:08,959 enough and with transmitters powerful 289 00:11:14,710 --> 00:11:11,519 enough to observe asteroids so last 290 00:11:17,350 --> 00:11:14,720 night dss 14 sent out a radar signal 291 00:11:19,590 --> 00:11:17,360 from the antenna the energy bounced off 292 00:11:21,829 --> 00:11:19,600 the asteroid and was received by the 293 00:11:24,470 --> 00:11:21,839 same antenna and then processed into 294 00:11:26,949 --> 00:11:24,480 images images like these they don't look 295 00:11:29,430 --> 00:11:26,959 like pictures on your regular digital 296 00:11:31,670 --> 00:11:29,440 camera there are more like ultrasound 297 00:11:33,509 --> 00:11:31,680 images the principles are quite similar 298 00:11:35,829 --> 00:11:33,519 they don't look like regular pictures 299 00:11:38,150 --> 00:11:35,839 but you can still see things and 300 00:11:40,389 --> 00:11:38,160 recognize things right now radar 301 00:11:42,710 --> 00:11:40,399 scientist marina brosovich is part of 302 00:11:44,710 --> 00:11:42,720 that observation team and she is at 303 00:11:46,870 --> 00:11:44,720 goldstone right now she was observing 304 00:11:49,590 --> 00:11:46,880 last night to give us the results hi 305 00:11:52,069 --> 00:11:49,600 marina hi how are you so how did it go 306 00:11:55,190 --> 00:11:52,079 last night well it was quite a bit of 307 00:11:57,509 --> 00:11:55,200 surprise so it turns out the 1998 qe2 is 308 00:11:59,910 --> 00:11:57,519 a binary asteroid 309 00:12:01,829 --> 00:11:59,920 this is something that we did not expect 310 00:12:03,110 --> 00:12:01,839 especially i was looking at this earlier 311 00:12:05,509 --> 00:12:03,120 footage and we have to make some 312 00:12:06,790 --> 00:12:05,519 revisions to that period of rotation 313 00:12:08,949 --> 00:12:06,800 so initially we thought that it's 314 00:12:10,790 --> 00:12:08,959 rotating with a period of 5.3 hours 315 00:12:12,790 --> 00:12:10,800 because that was what was reported to us 316 00:12:14,629 --> 00:12:12,800 by the uh from by the optical observers 317 00:12:17,509 --> 00:12:14,639 and based on the light curves 318 00:12:18,710 --> 00:12:17,519 but in for such a type of rotation we 319 00:12:20,949 --> 00:12:18,720 really don't expect to see any 320 00:12:22,310 --> 00:12:20,959 satellites uh we're talking this one 321 00:12:24,470 --> 00:12:22,320 turned out to be 322 00:12:26,629 --> 00:12:24,480 rotating probably much more rapidly 323 00:12:28,470 --> 00:12:26,639 uh probably less than four hours 324 00:12:31,030 --> 00:12:28,480 and the first thing we see there's this 325 00:12:33,750 --> 00:12:31,040 uh object and it has a satellite well we 326 00:12:36,710 --> 00:12:33,760 have the still pictures that we can show 327 00:12:40,069 --> 00:12:36,720 folks um and you can see the different 328 00:12:42,230 --> 00:12:40,079 frames and a very light small object in 329 00:12:44,949 --> 00:12:42,240 front of it 330 00:12:47,590 --> 00:12:44,959 yes so what you can see here this larger 331 00:12:49,910 --> 00:12:47,600 uh the the larger object on the screen 332 00:12:51,829 --> 00:12:49,920 that is the primary that is the primary 333 00:12:54,069 --> 00:12:51,839 and then this little bright speck of 334 00:12:55,829 --> 00:12:54,079 light over here in the back that is the 335 00:12:58,389 --> 00:12:55,839 satellite and the satellite is in its 336 00:13:00,550 --> 00:12:58,399 orbit around around its primary uh like 337 00:13:02,550 --> 00:13:00,560 the moon would go around the earth 338 00:13:04,069 --> 00:13:02,560 so what you are seeing over here these 339 00:13:05,509 --> 00:13:04,079 are radar images they are different than 340 00:13:06,870 --> 00:13:05,519 optical images 341 00:13:09,590 --> 00:13:06,880 and 342 00:13:11,910 --> 00:13:09,600 each frame is a snippet about 10 minutes 343 00:13:14,230 --> 00:13:11,920 of data and you can clearly see that 344 00:13:16,629 --> 00:13:14,240 both the primary the these kind of 345 00:13:18,829 --> 00:13:16,639 features on the primary this kind of 346 00:13:22,150 --> 00:13:18,839 radar dark spot is 347 00:13:24,389 --> 00:13:22,160 rotating it's it's rotating as the this 348 00:13:26,870 --> 00:13:24,399 time sequence is progressing and at the 349 00:13:30,069 --> 00:13:26,880 same time what you're seeing is that the 350 00:13:32,470 --> 00:13:30,079 um the satellite is moving 351 00:13:35,190 --> 00:13:32,480 more toward the back so it's moving away 352 00:13:38,310 --> 00:13:35,200 from from the asteroid now where this is 353 00:13:40,389 --> 00:13:38,320 really evident is when you put it into a 354 00:13:45,030 --> 00:13:40,399 movie form and we can show folks that 355 00:13:48,150 --> 00:13:46,629 there you see it yeah you can clearly 356 00:13:50,710 --> 00:13:48,160 see you can see the evidence of the 357 00:13:52,710 --> 00:13:50,720 rotation of the primary because uh this 358 00:13:55,189 --> 00:13:52,720 is i have to say that this these um 359 00:13:57,430 --> 00:13:55,199 resolution of these images is 75 meters 360 00:13:59,350 --> 00:13:57,440 per pixel so we still haven't reached 361 00:14:00,829 --> 00:13:59,360 our highest possible resolution because 362 00:14:04,310 --> 00:14:00,839 the object is still a little bit far 363 00:14:06,069 --> 00:14:04,320 away but even at a 75 meter resolution 364 00:14:08,629 --> 00:14:06,079 what we can see is there's cert there 365 00:14:10,870 --> 00:14:08,639 are clearly some radar dark features 366 00:14:12,629 --> 00:14:10,880 some concavities maybe 367 00:14:14,389 --> 00:14:12,639 maybe those are impact craters or 368 00:14:16,629 --> 00:14:14,399 something but we can't know this for 369 00:14:18,550 --> 00:14:16,639 sure and we definitely can see that 370 00:14:21,189 --> 00:14:18,560 there is a satellite we estimate the 371 00:14:23,910 --> 00:14:21,199 size of the primary was was right on so 372 00:14:26,389 --> 00:14:23,920 this was it's about 2.7 kilometer in 373 00:14:28,629 --> 00:14:26,399 diameter and the satellite is about 600 374 00:14:31,189 --> 00:14:28,639 meters in diameter so this satellite 375 00:14:31,990 --> 00:14:31,199 appears to be small on the radar image 376 00:14:33,750 --> 00:14:32,000 but 377 00:14:35,829 --> 00:14:33,760 it's not this is kind of this different 378 00:14:38,949 --> 00:14:35,839 dimension on horizontal axis it's a 379 00:14:39,829 --> 00:14:38,959 measure of how fast it rotates so this 380 00:14:41,990 --> 00:14:39,839 wide 381 00:14:44,310 --> 00:14:42,000 echo it just means that the primary is 382 00:14:45,430 --> 00:14:44,320 rotating really fast so period less than 383 00:14:47,670 --> 00:14:45,440 four hours 384 00:14:49,590 --> 00:14:47,680 and the little in the back the narrow 385 00:14:52,150 --> 00:14:49,600 echo just means that this asteroid is 386 00:14:55,829 --> 00:14:52,160 rotating really slowly probably periods 387 00:14:58,470 --> 00:14:55,839 of less than one day but many many hours 388 00:15:01,509 --> 00:14:58,480 well you sent us a video 389 00:15:03,829 --> 00:15:01,519 earlier today to give us an example you 390 00:15:05,990 --> 00:15:03,839 think that there are 391 00:15:09,189 --> 00:15:06,000 great similarities between 392 00:15:10,949 --> 00:15:09,199 qe2 and another asteroid that you have 393 00:15:13,670 --> 00:15:10,959 and we can roll that too 394 00:15:15,030 --> 00:15:13,680 yes well so far we know that about 16 395 00:15:16,949 --> 00:15:15,040 of asteroids in the near-earth 396 00:15:19,829 --> 00:15:16,959 population that have diameters greater 397 00:15:22,470 --> 00:15:19,839 than 200 meters we know they're binaries 398 00:15:24,310 --> 00:15:22,480 and this is uh one well-studied binary 399 00:15:26,870 --> 00:15:24,320 that's based on our construction of 400 00:15:28,310 --> 00:15:26,880 radar data and when you reconstruct what 401 00:15:30,389 --> 00:15:28,320 greater data really means you end up 402 00:15:34,230 --> 00:15:30,399 with this three-dimensional shape model 403 00:15:35,670 --> 00:15:34,240 and this is asteroid 1999 kw-4 404 00:15:38,389 --> 00:15:35,680 and it's one of the best studies 405 00:15:40,550 --> 00:15:38,399 binaries you see its primary rotating 406 00:15:42,150 --> 00:15:40,560 really rapidly and then you see the 407 00:15:43,829 --> 00:15:42,160 satellite 408 00:15:45,829 --> 00:15:43,839 that is that is in the orbit around 409 00:15:47,749 --> 00:15:45,839 around this primary 410 00:15:50,230 --> 00:15:47,759 the reason why these the binary 411 00:15:52,389 --> 00:15:50,240 asteroids are so important is because we 412 00:15:53,590 --> 00:15:52,399 can estimate the mass of the of the 413 00:15:55,509 --> 00:15:53,600 asteroids 414 00:15:57,269 --> 00:15:55,519 and if you know the size then you can 415 00:15:59,670 --> 00:15:57,279 estimate the density and you can 416 00:16:01,590 --> 00:15:59,680 estimate the internal structure 417 00:16:02,629 --> 00:16:01,600 and from here you can 418 00:16:04,310 --> 00:16:02,639 infer 419 00:16:06,629 --> 00:16:04,320 things about the collisional history of 420 00:16:09,509 --> 00:16:06,639 the asteroid and in general about the 421 00:16:11,749 --> 00:16:09,519 processes that shaped the 422 00:16:14,069 --> 00:16:11,759 terrestrial planets and the main belt 423 00:16:16,790 --> 00:16:14,079 asteroids so you're able to get more 424 00:16:19,189 --> 00:16:16,800 information this is information that be 425 00:16:21,509 --> 00:16:19,199 could be used for missions i i 426 00:16:23,590 --> 00:16:21,519 understand that we used radar 427 00:16:26,069 --> 00:16:23,600 information to help us with missions 428 00:16:28,230 --> 00:16:26,079 like the hartley 2 mission in fact 429 00:16:30,710 --> 00:16:28,240 yes that is correct we we frequently we 430 00:16:33,350 --> 00:16:30,720 several on several occasions we radar 431 00:16:35,910 --> 00:16:33,360 provided a really key kind of data that 432 00:16:37,590 --> 00:16:35,920 helped make the mission kind of up they 433 00:16:39,670 --> 00:16:37,600 optimize their 434 00:16:41,749 --> 00:16:39,680 navigation sequence 435 00:16:43,590 --> 00:16:41,759 and they they just plan the it's 436 00:16:45,990 --> 00:16:43,600 possible to plan much safer and more 437 00:16:48,550 --> 00:16:46,000 efficient mission if you 438 00:16:51,590 --> 00:16:48,560 know how the object looks like prior of 439 00:16:53,910 --> 00:16:51,600 getting there and people are always 440 00:16:56,310 --> 00:16:53,920 concerned about the orbit of these 441 00:16:58,870 --> 00:16:56,320 asteroids that they could be on a 442 00:17:01,030 --> 00:16:58,880 collision course with the earth and 443 00:17:02,790 --> 00:17:01,040 there are times where we think oh it 444 00:17:04,230 --> 00:17:02,800 looks like it but then as we get more 445 00:17:06,230 --> 00:17:04,240 and more information like the 446 00:17:08,470 --> 00:17:06,240 information we're getting today we can 447 00:17:10,470 --> 00:17:08,480 refine those orbits and we will be able 448 00:17:12,069 --> 00:17:10,480 to refine it again after this 449 00:17:13,750 --> 00:17:12,079 observation correct 450 00:17:16,470 --> 00:17:13,760 yeah that is correct so one of the one 451 00:17:18,309 --> 00:17:16,480 of the really kind of powers of radar is 452 00:17:20,710 --> 00:17:18,319 that it can it can locate where the 453 00:17:22,150 --> 00:17:20,720 asteroid is very precisely it provides 454 00:17:24,949 --> 00:17:22,160 this very tight 455 00:17:26,630 --> 00:17:24,959 uh tight point in its orbit and refines 456 00:17:29,029 --> 00:17:26,640 it and based on that you can kind of 457 00:17:31,590 --> 00:17:29,039 extend you can extend the orbit of that 458 00:17:36,470 --> 00:17:33,590 centuries in advance and you can know 459 00:17:38,870 --> 00:17:36,480 exactly you can better assess the risk 460 00:17:40,870 --> 00:17:38,880 and the risk of potentially the asteroid 461 00:17:42,549 --> 00:17:40,880 hitting the earth well before you go 462 00:17:45,750 --> 00:17:42,559 away marina we have a couple of 463 00:17:47,590 --> 00:17:45,760 questions from the social media audience 464 00:17:49,909 --> 00:17:47,600 these are questions that were posted on 465 00:17:51,990 --> 00:17:49,919 our twitter page for asteroid watch and 466 00:17:54,230 --> 00:17:52,000 here's one that's for you 467 00:17:57,510 --> 00:17:54,240 what is the frequency of the radar that 468 00:18:00,390 --> 00:17:57,520 you use and how big is your transmitter 469 00:18:02,150 --> 00:18:00,400 transceiver and where is it located 470 00:18:04,310 --> 00:18:02,160 okay so we have we're working with the 471 00:18:06,390 --> 00:18:04,320 two radars they're only currently we are 472 00:18:08,470 --> 00:18:06,400 working with the radar at our sibo we 473 00:18:10,789 --> 00:18:08,480 are working radar at gallstone so 474 00:18:13,270 --> 00:18:10,799 goldstone this is a 70 meter antenna 475 00:18:16,549 --> 00:18:13,280 it's transmitting at 476 00:18:17,590 --> 00:18:16,559 60 megahertz we have 500 kilowatts of 477 00:18:20,310 --> 00:18:17,600 power 478 00:18:21,750 --> 00:18:20,320 and then at our sibo we have 300 meter 479 00:18:24,230 --> 00:18:21,760 diameter dish 480 00:18:25,990 --> 00:18:24,240 and that one is a one megawatt power 481 00:18:29,750 --> 00:18:26,000 transmitter and it's transmitting in 482 00:18:31,909 --> 00:18:29,760 2380 megahertz our sibo is about 20 483 00:18:33,830 --> 00:18:31,919 times more sensitive than goldstone but 484 00:18:35,990 --> 00:18:33,840 goldstone can cover much more in the sky 485 00:18:37,909 --> 00:18:36,000 because we have fully steerable antenna 486 00:18:39,590 --> 00:18:37,919 so in effect these two systems are 487 00:18:41,270 --> 00:18:39,600 really complementary 488 00:18:44,230 --> 00:18:41,280 all right here's another question from 489 00:18:45,110 --> 00:18:44,240 asteroid watch is the radar a ground 490 00:18:48,310 --> 00:18:45,120 brace 491 00:18:51,909 --> 00:18:48,320 a ground base or space radar to track 492 00:18:56,470 --> 00:18:54,390 well well space radars are used all 493 00:18:58,390 --> 00:18:56,480 being constantly in the missions but 494 00:19:00,230 --> 00:18:58,400 kind of just to get the science data but 495 00:19:02,870 --> 00:19:00,240 it's really not necessary 496 00:19:05,669 --> 00:19:02,880 uh to have a kind of space radar 497 00:19:07,590 --> 00:19:05,679 uh we we already are doing quite a bit 498 00:19:11,029 --> 00:19:07,600 of work with these two 499 00:19:13,430 --> 00:19:11,039 radars that we have on earth all right 500 00:19:15,830 --> 00:19:13,440 so those are two questions from asteroid 501 00:19:17,270 --> 00:19:15,840 watch and if you also have questions 502 00:19:19,669 --> 00:19:17,280 yourself that you would want to send 503 00:19:23,909 --> 00:19:19,679 them in to us go ahead to our twitter 504 00:19:26,310 --> 00:19:23,919 page at asteroid watch twitter.com slash 505 00:19:27,990 --> 00:19:26,320 asteroid watch thanks marina we look 506 00:19:31,270 --> 00:19:28,000 forward to seeing more results on this 507 00:19:33,590 --> 00:19:31,280 data 1998 qe2 should be a great radar 508 00:19:35,830 --> 00:19:33,600 target from today all the way through 509 00:19:39,510 --> 00:19:35,840 june 9. thanks marina thank you very 510 00:19:42,310 --> 00:19:39,520 much and as we mentioned seeing 1998 qe2 511 00:19:44,549 --> 00:19:42,320 can be a challenge it is small it is 512 00:19:46,549 --> 00:19:44,559 faint and it moves slowly you won't be 513 00:19:49,669 --> 00:19:46,559 able to see the asteroid with the naked 514 00:19:52,710 --> 00:19:49,679 eye or even binoculars because it's 15 515 00:19:54,789 --> 00:19:52,720 times as far away as the moon but if you 516 00:19:57,590 --> 00:19:54,799 have the right telescope and nowhere to 517 00:19:59,270 --> 00:19:57,600 look backyard astronomers will be able 518 00:20:01,909 --> 00:19:59,280 to see it and that's why we pulled in 519 00:20:03,750 --> 00:20:01,919 steve whistler steve is a jpl system 520 00:20:06,789 --> 00:20:03,760 engineer that's worked on missions like 521 00:20:08,710 --> 00:20:06,799 deep impact and epoxy and he's also a 522 00:20:12,230 --> 00:20:08,720 trained astronomer who works with the 523 00:20:14,310 --> 00:20:12,240 amateur community now steve you spotted 524 00:20:16,230 --> 00:20:14,320 qe2 yourself yesterday on your own 525 00:20:17,510 --> 00:20:16,240 telescope that's right i set it up last 526 00:20:19,669 --> 00:20:17,520 night and 527 00:20:23,590 --> 00:20:19,679 fortunately i had clear weather and i 528 00:20:26,710 --> 00:20:23,600 got about 40 minutes worth of imaging 529 00:20:28,310 --> 00:20:26,720 out of it and uh yeah so it's definitely 530 00:20:30,870 --> 00:20:28,320 possible to see with a small amateur 531 00:20:32,310 --> 00:20:30,880 telescope even from a 532 00:20:33,510 --> 00:20:32,320 near jpl here where there's a lot of 533 00:20:35,190 --> 00:20:33,520 light pollution 534 00:20:36,470 --> 00:20:35,200 we have the picture that you sent us we 535 00:20:39,590 --> 00:20:36,480 could put it up 536 00:20:41,190 --> 00:20:39,600 this this the small little smudge there 537 00:20:43,909 --> 00:20:41,200 is the asteroid 538 00:20:44,950 --> 00:20:43,919 there's a reference star that i 539 00:20:47,430 --> 00:20:44,960 put in there 540 00:20:49,190 --> 00:20:47,440 but it was it was fairly easy to set up 541 00:20:50,950 --> 00:20:49,200 and see you need to 542 00:20:53,029 --> 00:20:50,960 know where to look and the best way to 543 00:20:55,590 --> 00:20:53,039 find out is to download the coordinates 544 00:20:57,669 --> 00:20:55,600 from jpl's horizon website i entered 545 00:20:59,830 --> 00:20:57,679 them into my computer and told the 546 00:21:02,390 --> 00:20:59,840 telescope to point there so let's back 547 00:21:04,549 --> 00:21:02,400 up a little bit so how bright was it 548 00:21:05,909 --> 00:21:04,559 this is 11th magnitude so it's about 100 549 00:21:07,190 --> 00:21:05,919 times fainter than can be seen with the 550 00:21:08,549 --> 00:21:07,200 naked eye 551 00:21:11,029 --> 00:21:08,559 this is what you wouldn't be able to see 552 00:21:12,950 --> 00:21:11,039 in binoculars either and again it moves 553 00:21:14,549 --> 00:21:12,960 so slowly it would be very hard to see 554 00:21:17,350 --> 00:21:14,559 visually just looking through the 555 00:21:19,029 --> 00:21:17,360 telescope the the image there was 30 556 00:21:22,870 --> 00:21:19,039 seconds and so there was just a very 557 00:21:24,149 --> 00:21:22,880 smooth smudge in 30 seconds so 558 00:21:26,470 --> 00:21:24,159 photographically it's much more 559 00:21:28,789 --> 00:21:26,480 interesting well folks will want to ask 560 00:21:31,190 --> 00:21:28,799 what size telescope did you use i used a 561 00:21:33,270 --> 00:21:31,200 10 10-inch telescope we have pictures of 562 00:21:34,070 --> 00:21:33,280 of ones here too as well that we can cut 563 00:21:41,510 --> 00:21:34,080 to 564 00:21:42,789 --> 00:21:41,520 inches 565 00:21:44,390 --> 00:21:42,799 that is not a computer controlled 566 00:21:46,710 --> 00:21:44,400 telescope and would be relatively hard 567 00:21:48,549 --> 00:21:46,720 to find it in that in this case this one 568 00:21:50,470 --> 00:21:48,559 would be tough uh yes yeah you really 569 00:21:51,909 --> 00:21:50,480 need a good star chart to understand 570 00:21:53,750 --> 00:21:51,919 what the background star field is going 571 00:21:55,669 --> 00:21:53,760 to look like and understand where the 572 00:21:59,270 --> 00:21:55,679 asteroid will be relative to those stars 573 00:22:01,350 --> 00:21:59,280 and then it's it's not too hard to do so 574 00:22:03,669 --> 00:22:01,360 to help folks along we could provide 575 00:22:05,270 --> 00:22:03,679 them a little bit of a star chart we 576 00:22:07,190 --> 00:22:05,280 created one for them we can take a look 577 00:22:09,430 --> 00:22:07,200 and you can help them with this sure now 578 00:22:11,590 --> 00:22:09,440 this will show the path of the asteroid 579 00:22:13,909 --> 00:22:11,600 through the night sky it's basically 580 00:22:16,390 --> 00:22:13,919 it's got a southern declination so it's 581 00:22:18,149 --> 00:22:16,400 it is visible from los angeles tomorrow 582 00:22:19,909 --> 00:22:18,159 night it'll get as high as 37 degrees 583 00:22:21,669 --> 00:22:19,919 above the horizon the further south you 584 00:22:23,510 --> 00:22:21,679 go the better further north it's going 585 00:22:25,830 --> 00:22:23,520 to be a little bit worse 586 00:22:27,350 --> 00:22:25,840 you would need a detailed star chart 587 00:22:28,950 --> 00:22:27,360 with the surrounding 588 00:22:30,470 --> 00:22:28,960 stars that you would be able to see from 589 00:22:31,909 --> 00:22:30,480 your telescope in order to really pick 590 00:22:33,750 --> 00:22:31,919 it out and understand where it is 591 00:22:34,870 --> 00:22:33,760 relative to the stars because it is 592 00:22:36,230 --> 00:22:34,880 going to look like a star even in the 593 00:22:39,110 --> 00:22:36,240 hubble space telescope it would look 594 00:22:41,510 --> 00:22:39,120 like a star how many days would we have 595 00:22:44,549 --> 00:22:41,520 this viewing opportunity uh that i am 596 00:22:45,830 --> 00:22:44,559 not sure of certainly a few more days um 597 00:22:48,870 --> 00:22:45,840 it would be 598 00:22:50,630 --> 00:22:48,880 visible so definitely look for it 599 00:22:52,470 --> 00:22:50,640 in the southern skies but again if you 600 00:22:54,230 --> 00:22:52,480 go to horizon's website or there's 601 00:22:55,590 --> 00:22:54,240 another another a number of other 602 00:22:57,190 --> 00:22:55,600 websites where you can download 603 00:22:59,990 --> 00:22:57,200 information that will tell you its 604 00:23:01,909 --> 00:23:00,000 position and magnitude for every day 605 00:23:04,230 --> 00:23:01,919 so a lot of people aren't aware of this 606 00:23:07,510 --> 00:23:04,240 that there are telescopes that you can 607 00:23:09,990 --> 00:23:07,520 just take this orbital information 608 00:23:11,110 --> 00:23:10,000 downloaded it into your telescope and 609 00:23:13,350 --> 00:23:11,120 computer 610 00:23:15,110 --> 00:23:13,360 and it looks for it for you that's right 611 00:23:17,909 --> 00:23:15,120 so where would you get information like 612 00:23:20,549 --> 00:23:17,919 that there's a number of sites that have 613 00:23:22,549 --> 00:23:20,559 the orbital elements again jpl's horizon 614 00:23:24,149 --> 00:23:22,559 website is what i used and there we have 615 00:23:29,750 --> 00:23:24,159 it on the screen for you is 616 00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:33,350 horizons.cgi 617 00:23:38,310 --> 00:23:35,590 and the target body that they type in is 618 00:23:43,350 --> 00:23:38,320 this number that is the jpl id for the 619 00:23:48,789 --> 00:23:46,149 so folks who probably are going to be 620 00:23:51,750 --> 00:23:48,799 pretty sophisticated have sophisticated 621 00:23:53,830 --> 00:23:51,760 computers and telescopes will be able to 622 00:23:55,669 --> 00:23:53,840 get amateur telescopes sold today have 623 00:23:57,830 --> 00:23:55,679 computer control of some sort all right 624 00:23:59,590 --> 00:23:57,840 but if you have one that you would have 625 00:24:02,630 --> 00:23:59,600 to focus yourself it's going to be a 626 00:24:04,710 --> 00:24:02,640 little tough yes okay so we have a 627 00:24:07,750 --> 00:24:04,720 couple of social media questions for you 628 00:24:10,870 --> 00:24:07,760 steve the first one is am i going to be 629 00:24:12,710 --> 00:24:10,880 able to see it in south florida oh yes 630 00:24:14,149 --> 00:24:12,720 actually probably better than probably 631 00:24:16,230 --> 00:24:14,159 better than here 632 00:24:19,269 --> 00:24:16,240 assuming it's not cloudy yeah all right 633 00:24:20,950 --> 00:24:19,279 so that so pretty much um 634 00:24:22,630 --> 00:24:20,960 all over the united states we should be 635 00:24:25,350 --> 00:24:22,640 able to see it yeah you know i really 636 00:24:27,110 --> 00:24:25,360 couldn't say for like san francisco and 637 00:24:29,110 --> 00:24:27,120 above again it's going to be really low 638 00:24:30,549 --> 00:24:29,120 on the rise in the further north you go 639 00:24:33,190 --> 00:24:30,559 but certainly from the southern united 640 00:24:37,269 --> 00:24:33,200 states it'll be easily visible all right 641 00:24:40,310 --> 00:24:37,279 um some other questions um 642 00:24:43,110 --> 00:24:40,320 this would be probably more towards 643 00:24:44,870 --> 00:24:43,120 folks who are worried about asteroids 644 00:24:47,830 --> 00:24:44,880 and i don't think that that would be 645 00:24:50,149 --> 00:24:47,840 good for you um just rules of thumb 646 00:24:52,310 --> 00:24:50,159 advice for people who want to do this 647 00:24:53,269 --> 00:24:52,320 especially first-timers 648 00:24:54,950 --> 00:24:53,279 should they 649 00:24:56,950 --> 00:24:54,960 go to 650 00:24:58,149 --> 00:24:56,960 you know various planetariums or 651 00:24:59,830 --> 00:24:58,159 something like that would that be 652 00:25:02,310 --> 00:24:59,840 helpful it's really helpful to join an 653 00:25:03,909 --> 00:25:02,320 astronomy club to to learn because 654 00:25:05,750 --> 00:25:03,919 talking to people and seeing how they do 655 00:25:09,269 --> 00:25:05,760 it is one of the best ways to learn uh 656 00:25:10,470 --> 00:25:09,279 this this hobby and websites too 657 00:25:12,789 --> 00:25:10,480 lots of great information on the 658 00:25:15,190 --> 00:25:12,799 websites 659 00:25:16,630 --> 00:25:15,200 as well all right yahoo groups those 660 00:25:19,510 --> 00:25:16,640 sorts of things 661 00:25:21,909 --> 00:25:19,520 i i should plug our own um normal 662 00:25:24,470 --> 00:25:21,919 feature we have a feature on our own 663 00:25:26,310 --> 00:25:24,480 video website here at jpl the what's up 664 00:25:28,230 --> 00:25:26,320 series that's correct every single month 665 00:25:30,390 --> 00:25:28,240 we will tell you what to look for in the 666 00:25:32,390 --> 00:25:30,400 night sky so that's another one to keep 667 00:25:35,350 --> 00:25:32,400 in mind well steve thank you thanks for 668 00:25:36,470 --> 00:25:35,360 the tips and the advice and many of you 669 00:25:38,390 --> 00:25:36,480 who have 670 00:25:41,110 --> 00:25:38,400 probably the more sophisticated 671 00:25:42,549 --> 00:25:41,120 telescopes will be able to see qe2 672 00:25:45,269 --> 00:25:42,559 so 673 00:25:47,510 --> 00:25:45,279 you will be able to see 1998 qe2 in your 674 00:25:49,990 --> 00:25:47,520 own backyard but some of you won't but 675 00:25:52,070 --> 00:25:50,000 don't despair we have one more way for 676 00:25:55,110 --> 00:25:52,080 you to track this asteroid it's a 677 00:25:57,430 --> 00:25:55,120 visualization tool developed here at jpl 678 00:25:59,590 --> 00:25:57,440 it is called eyes on the solar system 679 00:26:01,510 --> 00:25:59,600 visualization producer doug ellison is 680 00:26:05,430 --> 00:26:01,520 here in mission control right now to 681 00:26:07,269 --> 00:26:05,440 give folks tips on how to use it duck 682 00:26:09,029 --> 00:26:07,279 thanks gay well good morning everybody 683 00:26:10,870 --> 00:26:09,039 and some of you i'm sure have already 684 00:26:12,630 --> 00:26:10,880 used our tool called eyes on the solar 685 00:26:14,630 --> 00:26:12,640 system for those of you that haven't you 686 00:26:16,950 --> 00:26:14,640 need any java enabled web browser on a 687 00:26:20,870 --> 00:26:16,960 mac or a pc and you just need to go to 688 00:26:21,990 --> 00:26:20,880 this website here it's at eyes.nasa.gov 689 00:26:23,669 --> 00:26:22,000 now the next few minutes i'm going to 690 00:26:25,029 --> 00:26:23,679 give a brief tour of a few interesting 691 00:26:26,870 --> 00:26:25,039 things in eyes on the solar system you 692 00:26:28,230 --> 00:26:26,880 can look at over the next year or so and 693 00:26:31,190 --> 00:26:28,240 show you how you can ride on board with 694 00:26:32,310 --> 00:26:31,200 1998 qe2 as well over the next few days 695 00:26:34,230 --> 00:26:32,320 let's go and have a look at eyes on the 696 00:26:36,470 --> 00:26:34,240 solar system as you can see right here 697 00:26:38,710 --> 00:26:36,480 what we have is essentially a live view 698 00:26:40,870 --> 00:26:38,720 of where qe2 is right now using the very 699 00:26:42,789 --> 00:26:40,880 same trajectory data that steve was just 700 00:26:45,590 --> 00:26:42,799 talking about and you can see that it's 701 00:26:46,950 --> 00:26:45,600 about 3.6 million miles from the earth 702 00:26:49,269 --> 00:26:46,960 and we can take a look at the asteroid 703 00:26:50,950 --> 00:26:49,279 of course the news that qe2 has a small 704 00:26:52,870 --> 00:26:50,960 moon was a surprise to all of us and so 705 00:26:54,870 --> 00:26:52,880 we'll be adding that in the next few 706 00:26:57,669 --> 00:26:54,880 weeks to give qe2 the most accurate 707 00:26:58,789 --> 00:26:57,679 representation we can but let's leave 708 00:27:00,390 --> 00:26:58,799 this little module for now i'm going to 709 00:27:01,510 --> 00:27:00,400 look at some other things in and around 710 00:27:03,590 --> 00:27:01,520 our solar system that might be 711 00:27:05,190 --> 00:27:03,600 interesting things that people may not 712 00:27:07,269 --> 00:27:05,200 have figured out for themselves in eyes 713 00:27:09,190 --> 00:27:07,279 on the solar system before i'm going to 714 00:27:11,269 --> 00:27:09,200 go and click on the visual controls tab 715 00:27:13,029 --> 00:27:11,279 in the bottom right hand corner here and 716 00:27:14,630 --> 00:27:13,039 way up at the top under the different 717 00:27:16,149 --> 00:27:14,640 sections that kind of the layers of 718 00:27:17,669 --> 00:27:16,159 objects we have in eyes on the solar 719 00:27:19,590 --> 00:27:17,679 system there's a section called small 720 00:27:21,430 --> 00:27:19,600 bodies that's where we keep things like 721 00:27:23,350 --> 00:27:21,440 asteroids and comets now i'm going to 722 00:27:24,630 --> 00:27:23,360 turn on the comets layer and you can see 723 00:27:26,549 --> 00:27:24,640 eyes on the television gets actually 724 00:27:27,990 --> 00:27:26,559 quite busy you can see our old friend 725 00:27:30,310 --> 00:27:28,000 hartley too that we explored with the 726 00:27:32,630 --> 00:27:30,320 epoxy spacecraft comet ellen in over 727 00:27:34,149 --> 00:27:32,640 here halley's comment of course but two 728 00:27:36,070 --> 00:27:34,159 comments in particular can be very very 729 00:27:37,990 --> 00:27:36,080 exciting over the next year or so i'm 730 00:27:39,909 --> 00:27:38,000 going to go and look at comet ison you 731 00:27:41,909 --> 00:27:39,919 can see it's orbit here 732 00:27:43,590 --> 00:27:41,919 if we start fast forwarding through time 733 00:27:45,510 --> 00:27:43,600 we're looking at may this control down 734 00:27:47,350 --> 00:27:45,520 here we can actually skip forwards and 735 00:27:48,710 --> 00:27:47,360 now we're seeing common eyes on screen 736 00:27:50,070 --> 00:27:48,720 towards the inner solar system you can 737 00:27:51,830 --> 00:27:50,080 see right there 738 00:27:53,510 --> 00:27:51,840 in october of this year it actually gets 739 00:27:55,669 --> 00:27:53,520 pretty close to the planet mars let's go 740 00:27:57,110 --> 00:27:55,679 and see just how close that is we can 741 00:27:58,789 --> 00:27:57,120 double click on an object and ride on 742 00:28:00,310 --> 00:27:58,799 board with it i'm going to zoom out just 743 00:28:02,710 --> 00:28:00,320 a little bit so we can have a look at 744 00:28:04,630 --> 00:28:02,720 the coma around the comet and i can 745 00:28:06,630 --> 00:28:04,640 right click on any object in eyes on the 746 00:28:08,789 --> 00:28:06,640 solar system measure the distance from 747 00:28:10,230 --> 00:28:08,799 something click on something else and 748 00:28:12,230 --> 00:28:10,240 i've got a virtual tape measure through 749 00:28:13,750 --> 00:28:12,240 space that tells me how far apart these 750 00:28:15,830 --> 00:28:13,760 two objects are at this point you can 751 00:28:18,389 --> 00:28:15,840 see that mars and comet ice on in 752 00:28:20,230 --> 00:28:18,399 october of 2013 are about 10 million 753 00:28:21,590 --> 00:28:20,240 miles apart and they get within about 8 754 00:28:22,710 --> 00:28:21,600 million miles 755 00:28:24,149 --> 00:28:22,720 i'm going to back out to the whole of 756 00:28:25,909 --> 00:28:24,159 the solar system again with the home 757 00:28:27,190 --> 00:28:25,919 button and i'm going to keep fast 758 00:28:29,110 --> 00:28:27,200 forwarding and eventually you'll see 759 00:28:31,269 --> 00:28:29,120 comet ison get incredibly close to the 760 00:28:32,950 --> 00:28:31,279 sun it's an incredibly close flyby 761 00:28:35,430 --> 00:28:32,960 something known as a sun grazing comet 762 00:28:37,190 --> 00:28:35,440 it gets so close now if it survives that 763 00:28:39,029 --> 00:28:37,200 incredibly close approach to the sun 764 00:28:41,350 --> 00:28:39,039 it's going to be a spectacular comet for 765 00:28:42,950 --> 00:28:41,360 people to see from the earth at the end 766 00:28:44,789 --> 00:28:42,960 of this year and the beginning of next 767 00:28:46,389 --> 00:28:44,799 year now let's go look at a different 768 00:28:48,070 --> 00:28:46,399 asteroid 769 00:28:49,510 --> 00:28:48,080 a different comet what i'm going to look 770 00:28:51,350 --> 00:28:49,520 at now is the one discovered by the 771 00:28:55,750 --> 00:28:51,360 siding springs observatory it's right 772 00:28:58,070 --> 00:28:55,760 down here called 2013 a1 here it is 773 00:28:59,669 --> 00:28:58,080 i'm going to go right on board the comet 774 00:29:01,590 --> 00:28:59,679 and you can see right now it's way way 775 00:29:03,190 --> 00:29:01,600 out below the solar system and i'm going 776 00:29:05,750 --> 00:29:03,200 to actually lock the camera from the 777 00:29:07,430 --> 00:29:05,760 shoulder of this comet onto the planet 778 00:29:09,909 --> 00:29:07,440 mars let's lock the camera by right 779 00:29:11,110 --> 00:29:09,919 clicking the mouse and hitting lock on 780 00:29:13,590 --> 00:29:11,120 and i'm going to fast forward you can 781 00:29:20,389 --> 00:29:13,600 see we're now getting through november 782 00:29:23,909 --> 00:29:22,149 you can see the maven spacecraft gets to 783 00:29:26,470 --> 00:29:23,919 mars not long before this comet flies 784 00:29:27,909 --> 00:29:26,480 past 785 00:29:29,510 --> 00:29:27,919 and towards the end of next year there 786 00:29:30,630 --> 00:29:29,520 you saw it very very quick flyby i was 787 00:29:32,630 --> 00:29:30,640 fast-forwarding a little bit too quick 788 00:29:36,870 --> 00:29:32,640 let's rewind time and look at that flyby 789 00:29:41,430 --> 00:29:38,549 as we get closer you can see mars's 790 00:29:43,350 --> 00:29:41,440 moons phobos and dmos there they are 791 00:29:44,870 --> 00:29:43,360 and from this comet it gets incredibly 792 00:29:47,430 --> 00:29:44,880 close to the planet mars let's just see 793 00:29:49,510 --> 00:29:47,440 how close that is 794 00:29:51,909 --> 00:29:49,520 let's go and look at mars 795 00:29:53,510 --> 00:29:51,919 let's go and zoom well out of the planet 796 00:29:55,430 --> 00:29:53,520 and we can measure that distance as well 797 00:29:57,430 --> 00:29:55,440 we can right click on mars measure the 798 00:29:58,710 --> 00:29:57,440 distance from and left click on the 799 00:30:01,669 --> 00:29:58,720 comet and you can see at this point it's 800 00:30:03,269 --> 00:30:01,679 only 72 000 miles an incredibly close 801 00:30:04,950 --> 00:30:03,279 flyby it's gonna be a spectacular thing 802 00:30:06,789 --> 00:30:04,960 to see from the surface of mars 803 00:30:09,430 --> 00:30:06,799 hopefully with our spacecraft in orbit 804 00:30:10,470 --> 00:30:09,440 around mars and from the surface 805 00:30:12,149 --> 00:30:10,480 and of course comets aren't just 806 00:30:13,830 --> 00:30:12,159 something we look at from a long long 807 00:30:15,590 --> 00:30:13,840 way away occasionally we send spacecraft 808 00:30:17,350 --> 00:30:15,600 to don't go and take a slightly closer 809 00:30:19,909 --> 00:30:17,360 look at them and if we go back to the 810 00:30:22,070 --> 00:30:19,919 present day you'll see that this comet 811 00:30:24,230 --> 00:30:22,080 here chirami of garasimenko has a 812 00:30:25,510 --> 00:30:24,240 spacecraft very close to rosetta and 813 00:30:26,870 --> 00:30:25,520 right now they're only a few million 814 00:30:29,909 --> 00:30:26,880 miles apart in fact you can see that 815 00:30:31,830 --> 00:30:29,919 distance 16.6 million miles if i start 816 00:30:34,470 --> 00:30:31,840 fast forwarding time to about 12 months 817 00:30:36,149 --> 00:30:34,480 from now the rosetta mission which is a 818 00:30:38,630 --> 00:30:36,159 collaboration between the european space 819 00:30:39,669 --> 00:30:38,640 agency and nasa as well if we go all the 820 00:30:40,630 --> 00:30:39,679 way through the beginning of next year 821 00:30:42,789 --> 00:30:40,640 you're going to see that the rosetta 822 00:30:44,310 --> 00:30:42,799 spacecraft gets incredibly close to this 823 00:30:45,830 --> 00:30:44,320 uh this comet as well in fact it's going 824 00:30:47,510 --> 00:30:45,840 to go into orbit around the comet and 825 00:30:49,590 --> 00:30:47,520 eventually put a lander onto the surface 826 00:30:50,870 --> 00:30:49,600 of that comet as well 827 00:30:52,549 --> 00:30:50,880 and so now we're going to do is just go 828 00:30:54,149 --> 00:30:52,559 back to our little qe2 module so you can 829 00:30:56,070 --> 00:30:54,159 all at home right on board the asteroid 830 00:30:58,070 --> 00:30:56,080 see exactly where it is up in the top 831 00:31:00,310 --> 00:30:58,080 corner is the tours and features module 832 00:31:01,669 --> 00:31:00,320 i'm going to hit 1998 qe2 and we take 833 00:31:03,830 --> 00:31:01,679 you to this little mini module just 834 00:31:05,830 --> 00:31:03,840 about qe2 and by hitting the right along 835 00:31:07,509 --> 00:31:05,840 button there i am on board the asteroid 836 00:31:09,029 --> 00:31:07,519 you can see the earth and the moon right 837 00:31:11,190 --> 00:31:09,039 behind it for the kind of bruce willis 838 00:31:12,549 --> 00:31:11,200 view bring up the controls and hit this 839 00:31:13,830 --> 00:31:12,559 kind of ride along button here and 840 00:31:15,669 --> 00:31:13,840 suddenly you're riding on board the 841 00:31:17,750 --> 00:31:15,679 asteroid as it does its flyby of the 842 00:31:19,110 --> 00:31:17,760 earth over the next few days so that's 843 00:31:21,990 --> 00:31:19,120 eyes on the solar system once again you 844 00:31:23,110 --> 00:31:22,000 can go to it by going to eyes.nasa.gov 845 00:31:24,070 --> 00:31:23,120 and with that i'm going to throw it back 846 00:31:26,549 --> 00:31:24,080 together 847 00:31:27,830 --> 00:31:26,559 thanks doug so you get to see it even 848 00:31:30,230 --> 00:31:27,840 though you don't see it in your own 849 00:31:32,870 --> 00:31:30,240 backyard you can see it on the web 850 00:31:35,830 --> 00:31:32,880 page is back with us he's with the neo 851 00:31:38,470 --> 00:31:35,840 program office let's kind of help people 852 00:31:41,110 --> 00:31:38,480 understand why asteroids are so 853 00:31:43,909 --> 00:31:41,120 important there's a variety of reasons 854 00:31:45,350 --> 00:31:43,919 it's not just the catastrophic fear 855 00:31:47,990 --> 00:31:45,360 factor 856 00:31:49,509 --> 00:31:48,000 these are the some of the most primitive 857 00:31:51,830 --> 00:31:49,519 objects in the solar system so they give 858 00:31:53,750 --> 00:31:51,840 us information if we can study them uh 859 00:31:56,470 --> 00:31:53,760 about how the solar system was formed 860 00:31:57,990 --> 00:31:56,480 what were the ingredients uh that that 861 00:32:00,470 --> 00:31:58,000 were in the nebula which formed the 862 00:32:01,669 --> 00:32:00,480 solar system the some of the most 863 00:32:03,990 --> 00:32:01,679 primitive 864 00:32:06,310 --> 00:32:04,000 objects that we can use to study the 865 00:32:07,350 --> 00:32:06,320 early nebula of the solar system 866 00:32:11,110 --> 00:32:07,360 so 867 00:32:13,590 --> 00:32:11,120 uh 868 00:32:15,830 --> 00:32:13,600 are these things something that we would 869 00:32:17,590 --> 00:32:15,840 be interested in in the future 870 00:32:19,430 --> 00:32:17,600 it's also 871 00:32:21,350 --> 00:32:19,440 uh surprising that there are hydrated 872 00:32:23,830 --> 00:32:21,360 minerals in some of these objects which 873 00:32:25,830 --> 00:32:23,840 were formed in the uh outer 874 00:32:28,710 --> 00:32:25,840 area uh outer asteroid belt so they 875 00:32:30,549 --> 00:32:28,720 didn't receive a lot of heating and so 876 00:32:34,070 --> 00:32:30,559 it's possible that we could actually 877 00:32:36,230 --> 00:32:34,080 mine these objects if we go out and with 878 00:32:38,389 --> 00:32:36,240 some sort of in the distant future 879 00:32:40,870 --> 00:32:38,399 possibly or not so distant future we 880 00:32:43,110 --> 00:32:40,880 could go out and extract things like 881 00:32:45,590 --> 00:32:43,120 water and oxygen from these and use them 882 00:32:47,430 --> 00:32:45,600 as resources in space possibly there are 883 00:32:49,350 --> 00:32:47,440 also many minerals that 884 00:32:51,669 --> 00:32:49,360 are present in these objects 885 00:32:54,070 --> 00:32:51,679 and so in it's possible that these 886 00:32:55,750 --> 00:32:54,080 things could be a source of 887 00:32:57,190 --> 00:32:55,760 you know resources and minerals that we 888 00:32:59,509 --> 00:32:57,200 could use on the earth 889 00:33:01,830 --> 00:32:59,519 but it seems the common person seems to 890 00:33:04,310 --> 00:33:01,840 be most interested about asteroids 891 00:33:07,509 --> 00:33:04,320 because of concerns of the safety of the 892 00:33:09,509 --> 00:33:07,519 planet and your office has the job of 893 00:33:12,950 --> 00:33:09,519 tracking these asteroids and we we have 894 00:33:14,789 --> 00:33:12,960 a graphic of what we have seen in terms 895 00:33:16,950 --> 00:33:14,799 of numbers 896 00:33:19,590 --> 00:33:16,960 since may 8th but you tell me that the 897 00:33:21,029 --> 00:33:19,600 numbers have already increased 898 00:33:23,269 --> 00:33:21,039 yes i think the number of near-earth 899 00:33:25,990 --> 00:33:23,279 asteroids listed on the top there is up 900 00:33:27,669 --> 00:33:26,000 by at least 50 since may the 8th in in 901 00:33:29,190 --> 00:33:27,679 less than a month in less than a month 902 00:33:33,590 --> 00:33:29,200 objects 903 00:33:35,750 --> 00:33:33,600 rate of something like 80 per month 904 00:33:37,190 --> 00:33:35,760 and asteroids in general are discovered 905 00:33:39,430 --> 00:33:37,200 at something like 906 00:33:41,350 --> 00:33:39,440 3 000 per month and so 907 00:33:43,669 --> 00:33:41,360 the the numbers are just exploding we 908 00:33:46,310 --> 00:33:43,679 have 600 000 asteroids in our database 909 00:33:48,310 --> 00:33:46,320 right now for the uh for the entire uh 910 00:33:50,950 --> 00:33:48,320 list of asteroids but you seem to have a 911 00:33:54,549 --> 00:33:50,960 real handle on the larger ones the ones 912 00:33:55,590 --> 00:33:54,559 that are over one kilometer say 913 00:33:57,590 --> 00:33:55,600 yes 914 00:33:59,830 --> 00:33:57,600 those were the first priority of the 915 00:34:01,990 --> 00:33:59,840 earth object program office 916 00:34:03,750 --> 00:34:02,000 we wanted to know their orbits very 917 00:34:05,669 --> 00:34:03,760 accurately and the uncertainties and we 918 00:34:07,110 --> 00:34:05,679 wanted to project them into the future 919 00:34:09,109 --> 00:34:07,120 we wanted to know whether they could hit 920 00:34:10,950 --> 00:34:09,119 the earth especially so 921 00:34:12,950 --> 00:34:10,960 we take the observations from the minor 922 00:34:15,030 --> 00:34:12,960 planet center located in cambridge 923 00:34:17,190 --> 00:34:15,040 massachusetts they collect worldwide 924 00:34:19,349 --> 00:34:17,200 observations we use those then to 925 00:34:21,430 --> 00:34:19,359 compute high precision orbits for these 926 00:34:23,030 --> 00:34:21,440 asteroids and that's a complicated 927 00:34:25,270 --> 00:34:23,040 mathematical process but it's very 928 00:34:27,190 --> 00:34:25,280 important and then project those into 929 00:34:29,430 --> 00:34:27,200 the future and look at all possible 930 00:34:32,550 --> 00:34:29,440 possibilities we take into account the 931 00:34:34,550 --> 00:34:32,560 gravity of the solar system we go 100 932 00:34:37,270 --> 00:34:34,560 years into the future 933 00:34:39,430 --> 00:34:37,280 so it's it's long on a human time scale 934 00:34:41,270 --> 00:34:39,440 but on a solar system time scale that's 935 00:34:43,589 --> 00:34:41,280 just a blink of the eye and that 936 00:34:44,550 --> 00:34:43,599 information is constantly changing 937 00:34:46,790 --> 00:34:44,560 because 938 00:34:48,470 --> 00:34:46,800 as we get more and more information say 939 00:34:51,990 --> 00:34:48,480 the things we're getting from radar 940 00:34:54,790 --> 00:34:52,000 today all that changes the computation 941 00:34:56,950 --> 00:34:54,800 of the orbit yes so we will use the 942 00:34:59,109 --> 00:34:56,960 radar measurements that were made last 943 00:35:00,790 --> 00:34:59,119 night and will be made tomorrow we'll 944 00:35:02,630 --> 00:35:00,800 use those to improve the orbit even 945 00:35:04,870 --> 00:35:02,640 better in this case we know this 946 00:35:06,390 --> 00:35:04,880 asteroid can't hit the earth but 947 00:35:08,550 --> 00:35:06,400 using the radar measurements we'll be 948 00:35:10,390 --> 00:35:08,560 able to predict it accurately hundreds 949 00:35:12,550 --> 00:35:10,400 of years into the future and i would 950 00:35:15,430 --> 00:35:12,560 think that that information would be key 951 00:35:17,510 --> 00:35:15,440 if you are going to have a mission to an 952 00:35:19,990 --> 00:35:17,520 asteroid you have to know exactly where 953 00:35:21,990 --> 00:35:20,000 it is at any given time yes the more 954 00:35:24,150 --> 00:35:22,000 observations we get the better radar 955 00:35:26,790 --> 00:35:24,160 really helps to pin down the orbit of an 956 00:35:28,950 --> 00:35:26,800 asteroid as well as setting up as 957 00:35:30,550 --> 00:35:28,960 indicating the size of it so 958 00:35:31,990 --> 00:35:30,560 we saw it this morning those amazing 959 00:35:34,870 --> 00:35:32,000 images that's the first time i've seen 960 00:35:36,950 --> 00:35:34,880 them um where which marina showed were 961 00:35:38,710 --> 00:35:36,960 very impressive now we know 962 00:35:41,750 --> 00:35:38,720 that the size our estimates of the size 963 00:35:43,430 --> 00:35:41,760 was pretty accurate binary and a binary 964 00:35:45,990 --> 00:35:43,440 marina must have been really excited to 965 00:35:48,150 --> 00:35:46,000 see that the binaries are not so common 966 00:35:50,550 --> 00:35:48,160 uh so i was very exciting i'm happy to 967 00:35:52,390 --> 00:35:50,560 see that uh and we can get a good idea 968 00:35:55,190 --> 00:35:52,400 now of the mass 969 00:35:57,430 --> 00:35:55,200 of that asteroid if we track and know a 970 00:36:00,390 --> 00:35:57,440 little bit about the orbit of the of the 971 00:36:01,829 --> 00:36:00,400 secondary the satellite because the 972 00:36:04,230 --> 00:36:01,839 orbital period of the satellite is 973 00:36:07,670 --> 00:36:04,240 related to the mass of the asteroid all 974 00:36:10,550 --> 00:36:07,680 right so the next mission to an asteroid 975 00:36:13,190 --> 00:36:10,560 is one to an asteroid called bennu and 976 00:36:16,150 --> 00:36:13,200 we have a picture of bennu 977 00:36:18,390 --> 00:36:16,160 yes now bennu is about half a kilometer 978 00:36:20,390 --> 00:36:18,400 500 meters in diameter actually it's 979 00:36:23,430 --> 00:36:20,400 probably very similar in size to the 980 00:36:25,829 --> 00:36:23,440 satellite of kiwi too come to think of 981 00:36:28,069 --> 00:36:25,839 it that the mission that will go to 982 00:36:29,750 --> 00:36:28,079 bennu is called osiris-rex it's a very 983 00:36:33,109 --> 00:36:29,760 exciting mission to be launched in the 984 00:36:34,950 --> 00:36:33,119 year 2016. we have visuals of that okay 985 00:36:37,349 --> 00:36:34,960 let's see the visual 986 00:36:39,510 --> 00:36:37,359 there it is here we are this they asked 987 00:36:41,829 --> 00:36:39,520 oh here we are arriving at the asteroid 988 00:36:44,230 --> 00:36:41,839 and around the year 2018 after uh 989 00:36:46,230 --> 00:36:44,240 approximately a year of studying the 990 00:36:48,790 --> 00:36:46,240 asteroid at a distance the spacecraft 991 00:36:51,109 --> 00:36:48,800 will deploy an arm and pick up samples 992 00:36:52,069 --> 00:36:51,119 from the surface of the asteroid a 993 00:36:53,589 --> 00:36:52,079 certain 994 00:36:56,550 --> 00:36:53,599 number of grams will put it into a 995 00:36:58,150 --> 00:36:56,560 return capsule and then osiris-rex will 996 00:36:59,829 --> 00:36:58,160 come back to the earth and deploy that 997 00:37:01,270 --> 00:36:59,839 capsule and it will land in the year 998 00:37:03,829 --> 00:37:01,280 2023 999 00:37:06,150 --> 00:37:03,839 in utah and we'll actually have actual 1000 00:37:08,710 --> 00:37:06,160 samples from that asteroid that is an 1001 00:37:10,710 --> 00:37:08,720 incredibly ambitious endeavor very 1002 00:37:13,270 --> 00:37:10,720 exciting but there is another one that 1003 00:37:14,630 --> 00:37:13,280 is even more ambitious 1004 00:37:17,589 --> 00:37:14,640 yes 1005 00:37:21,349 --> 00:37:17,599 nasa has proposed an asteroid initiative 1006 00:37:24,150 --> 00:37:21,359 with a very exciting goal of going out 1007 00:37:25,190 --> 00:37:24,160 to find a nearer earth asteroid one 1008 00:37:27,030 --> 00:37:25,200 that's in an 1009 00:37:28,230 --> 00:37:27,040 orbit that's pretty close to the earth 1010 00:37:30,230 --> 00:37:28,240 and we would 1011 00:37:31,589 --> 00:37:30,240 send a spacecraft out there a high-tech 1012 00:37:35,349 --> 00:37:31,599 spacecraft 1013 00:37:36,950 --> 00:37:35,359 powered by solar arrays deploy a bag 1014 00:37:39,910 --> 00:37:36,960 around this asteroid it has to be the 1015 00:37:42,710 --> 00:37:39,920 right size here about 20 to 30 feet in 1016 00:37:45,589 --> 00:37:42,720 diameter we'll deploy a bag inflate it 1017 00:37:47,589 --> 00:37:45,599 and then move the spacecraft 1018 00:37:49,270 --> 00:37:47,599 match its orbital speed of the rotation 1019 00:37:50,470 --> 00:37:49,280 speed move the spacecraft around the 1020 00:37:53,430 --> 00:37:50,480 asteroid 1021 00:37:55,910 --> 00:37:53,440 put it in the bag and then cinch the bag 1022 00:37:58,310 --> 00:37:55,920 thus capturing the asteroid 1023 00:37:59,990 --> 00:37:58,320 then we will actually have an entire 1024 00:38:01,589 --> 00:38:00,000 asteroid which we will have studied in 1025 00:38:03,750 --> 00:38:01,599 detail 1026 00:38:05,750 --> 00:38:03,760 at some distance and we'll be able to 1027 00:38:08,390 --> 00:38:05,760 study how the whole thing is constructed 1028 00:38:09,910 --> 00:38:08,400 what its bulk properties are 1029 00:38:11,910 --> 00:38:09,920 and this would be very useful 1030 00:38:13,829 --> 00:38:11,920 information if we ever ever had to 1031 00:38:14,950 --> 00:38:13,839 deflect an asteroid we need to know 1032 00:38:16,550 --> 00:38:14,960 things like 1033 00:38:17,750 --> 00:38:16,560 the the bulk properties and the density 1034 00:38:19,270 --> 00:38:17,760 that sort of thing 1035 00:38:21,349 --> 00:38:19,280 here we see the asteroid being pulled 1036 00:38:24,310 --> 00:38:21,359 into the space close to the spacecraft 1037 00:38:27,270 --> 00:38:24,320 the advanced ion engines firing we push 1038 00:38:28,390 --> 00:38:27,280 the space the the asteroid back towards 1039 00:38:30,150 --> 00:38:28,400 the earth 1040 00:38:32,470 --> 00:38:30,160 actually towards the moon and put it 1041 00:38:33,990 --> 00:38:32,480 into orbit around the moon which is a 1042 00:38:36,310 --> 00:38:34,000 stable place 1043 00:38:38,550 --> 00:38:36,320 then the orion spacecraft 1044 00:38:39,910 --> 00:38:38,560 would launch with us with astronauts 1045 00:38:41,750 --> 00:38:39,920 from florida 1046 00:38:43,510 --> 00:38:41,760 and it could go up and visit the 1047 00:38:44,950 --> 00:38:43,520 captured asteroid which is in orbit 1048 00:38:47,270 --> 00:38:44,960 around the moon 1049 00:38:50,390 --> 00:38:47,280 they could use tools to actually take 1050 00:38:52,630 --> 00:38:50,400 samples from the asteroid and take very 1051 00:38:55,829 --> 00:38:52,640 the most interesting samples that uh 1052 00:38:57,990 --> 00:38:55,839 from interesting areas on this asteroid 1053 00:38:59,670 --> 00:38:58,000 we put the samples then and return those 1054 00:39:00,950 --> 00:38:59,680 to the earth and we could study them up 1055 00:39:03,670 --> 00:39:00,960 close 1056 00:39:06,150 --> 00:39:03,680 it's a very exciting mission 1057 00:39:09,030 --> 00:39:06,160 you personally have a 1058 00:39:11,910 --> 00:39:09,040 role a sort of a predecessor role to 1059 00:39:14,310 --> 00:39:11,920 this mission in that it's going to be 1060 00:39:16,870 --> 00:39:14,320 your job to find us that asteroid well 1061 00:39:19,349 --> 00:39:16,880 the the near earth object program office 1062 00:39:20,470 --> 00:39:19,359 is charged with finding and selecting a 1063 00:39:23,510 --> 00:39:20,480 good target 1064 00:39:25,030 --> 00:39:23,520 and we need to find one that matches 1065 00:39:27,349 --> 00:39:25,040 certain constraints it has to be about 1066 00:39:30,390 --> 00:39:27,359 the right size 20 to 30 feet and 1067 00:39:32,710 --> 00:39:30,400 especially it has to be in an orbit that 1068 00:39:34,069 --> 00:39:32,720 passes the earth fairly slowly so that 1069 00:39:36,470 --> 00:39:34,079 the moon would have a chance of 1070 00:39:38,790 --> 00:39:36,480 capturing it so we are looking for very 1071 00:39:41,349 --> 00:39:38,800 specific orbit types as well 1072 00:39:44,310 --> 00:39:41,359 and we have about a dozen candidates 1073 00:39:45,750 --> 00:39:44,320 already and we we think we will find 1074 00:39:47,510 --> 00:39:45,760 more good candidates in the next few 1075 00:39:49,349 --> 00:39:47,520 years so we'll be looking 1076 00:39:51,030 --> 00:39:49,359 at all the discoveries and searching for 1077 00:39:53,270 --> 00:39:51,040 these asteroids will be a high priority 1078 00:39:54,150 --> 00:39:53,280 in the next few years but it's it's the 1079 00:39:55,670 --> 00:39:54,160 same 1080 00:39:57,750 --> 00:39:55,680 survey that we'll be searching for 1081 00:39:59,670 --> 00:39:57,760 asteroids that could hit the earth so 1082 00:40:01,589 --> 00:39:59,680 it's the same basic technique but we'll 1083 00:40:03,510 --> 00:40:01,599 be watching for those ones which are in 1084 00:40:05,349 --> 00:40:03,520 orbits that could come close to the 1085 00:40:07,349 --> 00:40:05,359 earth very slowly and could be captured 1086 00:40:08,470 --> 00:40:07,359 and you're just discovering new ones 1087 00:40:09,270 --> 00:40:08,480 every day 1088 00:40:13,510 --> 00:40:09,280 so 1089 00:40:14,950 --> 00:40:13,520 every day yes uh we'll but we'll be 1090 00:40:16,470 --> 00:40:14,960 looking for just the right one i think 1091 00:40:19,349 --> 00:40:16,480 right we'll find one in the next few 1092 00:40:22,390 --> 00:40:19,359 years and timed just right to be where 1093 00:40:24,069 --> 00:40:22,400 you want it just then we also need it to 1094 00:40:25,750 --> 00:40:24,079 naturally come by the earth at about the 1095 00:40:27,990 --> 00:40:25,760 right time as well that's right all 1096 00:40:30,470 --> 00:40:28,000 right we'll find one as promised we are 1097 00:40:32,390 --> 00:40:30,480 doing some of the um social media 1098 00:40:34,870 --> 00:40:32,400 questions that you've sent in we have 1099 00:40:37,829 --> 00:40:34,880 one from ted wade 1100 00:40:41,190 --> 00:40:37,839 if hubble is retired or replaced can it 1101 00:40:42,950 --> 00:40:41,200 be assigned to neo search duties that's 1102 00:40:44,230 --> 00:40:42,960 an interesting question well a good 1103 00:40:46,230 --> 00:40:44,240 question 1104 00:40:48,710 --> 00:40:46,240 hubble is not well suited to search for 1105 00:40:51,349 --> 00:40:48,720 asteroids it's actually has a very 1106 00:40:54,069 --> 00:40:51,359 narrow field of view and can take very 1107 00:40:56,470 --> 00:40:54,079 detailed close-ups of particular objects 1108 00:40:58,069 --> 00:40:56,480 but what we need is to search large 1109 00:40:59,190 --> 00:40:58,079 regions of the sky 1110 00:41:00,550 --> 00:40:59,200 to find 1111 00:41:02,790 --> 00:41:00,560 an object in which we don't know where 1112 00:41:04,710 --> 00:41:02,800 it is so we we need to have a large 1113 00:41:06,710 --> 00:41:04,720 field of view so hubble is not the 1114 00:41:09,030 --> 00:41:06,720 appropriate 1115 00:41:11,349 --> 00:41:09,040 instrument to find asteroids well we 1116 00:41:13,190 --> 00:41:11,359 have marina standing by as well both of 1117 00:41:16,390 --> 00:41:13,200 you could help us with this 1118 00:41:18,470 --> 00:41:16,400 what do we know about 1998 qe2 1119 00:41:21,750 --> 00:41:18,480 composition and what might we learn 1120 00:41:23,750 --> 00:41:21,760 about it during the this flyby so both 1121 00:41:24,950 --> 00:41:23,760 of you can probably help us with that 1122 00:41:26,790 --> 00:41:24,960 you know a little bit about the 1123 00:41:28,550 --> 00:41:26,800 composition you said 1124 00:41:30,950 --> 00:41:28,560 we think we know basically what it looks 1125 00:41:33,910 --> 00:41:30,960 like yes um and that it's very dark it's 1126 00:41:35,349 --> 00:41:33,920 carbonaceous and it uh very primitive 1127 00:41:38,309 --> 00:41:35,359 elements coming from the outer solar 1128 00:41:40,790 --> 00:41:38,319 system but uh i was fascinated to see 1129 00:41:43,910 --> 00:41:40,800 the craters on marina's images very 1130 00:41:45,750 --> 00:41:43,920 interesting um we uh and we were as i 1131 00:41:47,990 --> 00:41:45,760 say it'd be great to learn about the 1132 00:41:49,829 --> 00:41:48,000 density of this object 1133 00:41:52,630 --> 00:41:49,839 from the orbital period of its satellite 1134 00:41:55,030 --> 00:41:52,640 then we will know approximately 1135 00:41:57,349 --> 00:41:55,040 give us better idea of the composition 1136 00:41:59,589 --> 00:41:57,359 i'll give this question also to marina 1137 00:42:02,870 --> 00:41:59,599 the question is 1138 00:42:04,630 --> 00:42:02,880 what do we know about qe2's composition 1139 00:42:07,589 --> 00:42:04,640 and what might we learn during this 1140 00:42:10,230 --> 00:42:07,599 flyby and you and i talked a little bit 1141 00:42:12,710 --> 00:42:10,240 earlier on you said since it's dark it 1142 00:42:13,510 --> 00:42:12,720 may be larger than you thought it would 1143 00:42:15,190 --> 00:42:13,520 was 1144 00:42:18,150 --> 00:42:15,200 do you still believe that's the case 1145 00:42:21,750 --> 00:42:18,160 that it's larger than you thought 1146 00:42:26,950 --> 00:42:24,230 i don't hear a thing apparently 1147 00:42:28,950 --> 00:42:26,960 apparently i hear you hear me um but 1148 00:42:30,790 --> 00:42:28,960 there was a question at one point and i 1149 00:42:33,190 --> 00:42:30,800 can hear gail barry okay 1150 00:42:35,030 --> 00:42:33,200 i think she can i can hear it yes okay 1151 00:42:37,270 --> 00:42:35,040 marina can hear me do you think that 1152 00:42:39,589 --> 00:42:37,280 this asteroid is larger than you first 1153 00:42:43,190 --> 00:42:39,599 anticipated it to be 1154 00:42:45,589 --> 00:42:43,200 uh 1998 qe2 it's it's about uh right 1155 00:42:47,510 --> 00:42:45,599 size so whatever this was this was 1156 00:42:50,069 --> 00:42:47,520 initially estimated by spitzer science 1157 00:42:52,150 --> 00:42:50,079 telescope uh based on special science 1158 00:42:54,230 --> 00:42:52,160 telescope data they estimated it it has 1159 00:42:57,510 --> 00:42:54,240 reflectivity about six percent 1160 00:42:59,270 --> 00:42:57,520 and 2.7 kilometer diameter so from what 1161 00:43:03,190 --> 00:42:59,280 we can see from the visible extent of 1162 00:43:05,030 --> 00:43:03,200 the radar images it is it is about right 1163 00:43:07,910 --> 00:43:05,040 now this is 1164 00:43:09,990 --> 00:43:07,920 one radar observation but you mentioned 1165 00:43:12,710 --> 00:43:10,000 that you're going to be doing several 1166 00:43:14,710 --> 00:43:12,720 others in in the coming year is that 1167 00:43:16,790 --> 00:43:14,720 yeah yeah it is correct what do we do 1168 00:43:18,870 --> 00:43:16,800 this is uh basically we we always 1169 00:43:20,390 --> 00:43:18,880 observe uh with well last year was 1170 00:43:23,670 --> 00:43:20,400 really busy let me tell you about last 1171 00:43:26,390 --> 00:43:23,680 year last year we observed 66 asteroids 1172 00:43:29,270 --> 00:43:26,400 only at our sibo and we observed 28 1173 00:43:31,589 --> 00:43:29,280 asteroids at goldstone we we spent like 1174 00:43:33,589 --> 00:43:31,599 400 hours observing asteroids only at 1175 00:43:35,990 --> 00:43:33,599 goldstone so it's we are you know we 1176 00:43:38,390 --> 00:43:36,000 have a very busy asteroid season ahead 1177 00:43:39,750 --> 00:43:38,400 uh we are probably expecting again 1178 00:43:41,990 --> 00:43:39,760 probably 50 1179 00:43:44,150 --> 00:43:42,000 objects to be observed not everything is 1180 00:43:45,510 --> 00:43:44,160 going to be glorious images as you have 1181 00:43:47,990 --> 00:43:45,520 seen some of them will be just a 1182 00:43:49,910 --> 00:43:48,000 detection but just as important because 1183 00:43:52,230 --> 00:43:49,920 we can get their orbits right 1184 00:43:53,670 --> 00:43:52,240 and maybe some initial physical 1185 00:43:54,390 --> 00:43:53,680 characterization 1186 00:43:56,230 --> 00:43:54,400 but 1187 00:43:57,910 --> 00:43:56,240 i think that the next good target next 1188 00:44:01,270 --> 00:43:57,920 good radar target is coming this summer 1189 00:44:03,270 --> 00:44:01,280 it's coming in august it's asteroid 2005 1190 00:44:06,309 --> 00:44:03,280 wk4 1191 00:44:09,109 --> 00:44:06,319 and it's about 300 meters as we think 1192 00:44:12,230 --> 00:44:09,119 it's about 300 meters in diameter so it 1193 00:44:14,309 --> 00:44:12,240 is a smaller than the satellite of 1998 1194 00:44:15,349 --> 00:44:14,319 qe2 which is about 600 meters in 1195 00:44:17,190 --> 00:44:15,359 diameter 1196 00:44:19,510 --> 00:44:17,200 and this one is going to come relatively 1197 00:44:21,510 --> 00:44:19,520 close about eight lunar distances and so 1198 00:44:22,550 --> 00:44:21,520 we expect to really have a very nice 1199 00:44:24,870 --> 00:44:22,560 images 1200 00:44:27,589 --> 00:44:24,880 and then the next year we are going to 1201 00:44:30,390 --> 00:44:27,599 have a chance to observe a comet 1202 00:44:35,190 --> 00:44:30,400 so this is going to become a linear it's 1203 00:44:36,950 --> 00:44:35,200 209 p comet linear in may of 2013 1204 00:44:38,950 --> 00:44:36,960 usually we don't have opportunities to 1205 00:44:41,030 --> 00:44:38,960 observe comet with with radar because 1206 00:44:43,910 --> 00:44:41,040 they just don't come close enough this 1207 00:44:45,190 --> 00:44:43,920 one is going to be at about 20 22 lunar 1208 00:44:47,349 --> 00:44:45,200 distances 1209 00:44:49,670 --> 00:44:47,359 and we'll we'll you know we'll be able 1210 00:44:51,670 --> 00:44:49,680 to get a peek at this type of object 1211 00:44:53,589 --> 00:44:51,680 but what is interesting it is going to 1212 00:44:55,750 --> 00:44:53,599 be a real treat for the optical 1213 00:44:58,470 --> 00:44:55,760 observers because there are some 1214 00:45:00,710 --> 00:44:58,480 indications that there is going to be a 1215 00:45:02,790 --> 00:45:00,720 really amazing meteor shower 1216 00:45:05,510 --> 00:45:02,800 caused by this comet so this comet is 1217 00:45:08,069 --> 00:45:05,520 periodic comet and earth is going to 1218 00:45:11,589 --> 00:45:08,079 pass through the trails of that this 1219 00:45:12,390 --> 00:45:11,599 comet deposited in 1800s 1220 00:45:14,150 --> 00:45:12,400 and 1221 00:45:15,990 --> 00:45:14,160 in may of next year 1222 00:45:17,349 --> 00:45:16,000 there is supposed to be a really nice 1223 00:45:19,829 --> 00:45:17,359 meteor shower 1224 00:45:22,230 --> 00:45:19,839 and we will also get to observe the 1225 00:45:24,630 --> 00:45:22,240 objects that produce this meteor shower 1226 00:45:27,349 --> 00:45:24,640 all right i have another asteroid watch 1227 00:45:30,230 --> 00:45:27,359 question either from marina or paul 1228 00:45:32,870 --> 00:45:30,240 i know how you find them but how do you 1229 00:45:35,589 --> 00:45:32,880 work out its trajectory based on a 1230 00:45:37,670 --> 00:45:35,599 single lens scope 1231 00:45:40,309 --> 00:45:37,680 well it's not just a single observation 1232 00:45:42,710 --> 00:45:40,319 we actually collect all the observations 1233 00:45:44,950 --> 00:45:42,720 and there could be hundreds of them 1234 00:45:46,710 --> 00:45:44,960 for a well-observed object and we fold 1235 00:45:49,750 --> 00:45:46,720 them all into the math 1236 00:45:51,990 --> 00:45:49,760 of the known gravity fields of the sun 1237 00:45:53,750 --> 00:45:52,000 and all of the planets and we figure out 1238 00:45:55,910 --> 00:45:53,760 which is the orbit that will fit all of 1239 00:45:57,510 --> 00:45:55,920 those best so and there's some 1240 00:45:59,109 --> 00:45:57,520 uncertainty of course there always will 1241 00:46:02,309 --> 00:45:59,119 be some because the observations are not 1242 00:46:04,230 --> 00:46:02,319 perfect but we get a very good idea the 1243 00:46:06,630 --> 00:46:04,240 more observations the better we'll get a 1244 00:46:09,589 --> 00:46:06,640 very good idea of the orbit and at a 1245 00:46:11,670 --> 00:46:09,599 particular time and then we will project 1246 00:46:13,510 --> 00:46:11,680 that into the future as well all right 1247 00:46:15,670 --> 00:46:13,520 so we're going to wrap up some of these 1248 00:46:18,309 --> 00:46:15,680 questions for now 1249 00:46:19,670 --> 00:46:18,319 and we'd like to thank marina for 1250 00:46:23,030 --> 00:46:19,680 helping us out with some of these 1251 00:46:25,430 --> 00:46:23,040 asteroid questions thank you so much 1252 00:46:27,829 --> 00:46:25,440 and some of these questions were very 1253 00:46:30,309 --> 00:46:27,839 good and very sharp they they are 1254 00:46:32,790 --> 00:46:30,319 already aware of how we track asteroids 1255 00:46:35,270 --> 00:46:32,800 they are more interested on how exactly 1256 00:46:36,069 --> 00:46:35,280 do we figure out the orbits 1257 00:46:38,069 --> 00:46:36,079 so 1258 00:46:41,030 --> 00:46:38,079 we're going to move on ahead now 1259 00:46:43,510 --> 00:46:41,040 asteroids are a very high priority at 1260 00:46:47,109 --> 00:46:43,520 nasa for a number of different reasons 1261 00:46:49,510 --> 00:46:47,119 to protect the planet as paul told us to 1262 00:46:52,630 --> 00:46:49,520 understand how the solar system formed 1263 00:46:55,910 --> 00:46:52,640 because it holds the elements that were 1264 00:46:57,510 --> 00:46:55,920 the very very beginning of our formation 1265 00:47:00,069 --> 00:46:57,520 and to explore 1266 00:47:02,790 --> 00:47:00,079 it as a possible resource that one day 1267 00:47:05,270 --> 00:47:02,800 we could possibly mine these asteroids 1268 00:47:07,670 --> 00:47:05,280 to tell us more it is my pleasure to 1269 00:47:10,309 --> 00:47:07,680 introduce the administrator of nasa 1270 00:47:12,630 --> 00:47:10,319 charles bolden he joins us now from nasa 1271 00:47:14,710 --> 00:47:12,640 headquarters in washington d.c 1272 00:47:18,950 --> 00:47:14,720 administrator bolden thanks so much for 1273 00:47:22,230 --> 00:47:20,630 very much for letting me come to you i 1274 00:47:24,150 --> 00:47:22,240 don't know whether uh whether i'm coming 1275 00:47:25,670 --> 00:47:24,160 through or not but i've had an 1276 00:47:27,910 --> 00:47:25,680 opportunity to listen to some of the 1277 00:47:30,150 --> 00:47:27,920 questions and and the comments that have 1278 00:47:31,750 --> 00:47:30,160 been going on and i find it quite 1279 00:47:33,829 --> 00:47:31,760 enlightening you know 1280 00:47:36,710 --> 00:47:33,839 as we get more and more excited about 1281 00:47:39,910 --> 00:47:36,720 every opportunity to to see an asteroid 1282 00:47:43,030 --> 00:47:39,920 or a comet or learn more about it 1283 00:47:45,349 --> 00:47:43,040 we find that nasa's present strategy for 1284 00:47:46,470 --> 00:47:45,359 dealing with asteroids is falling more 1285 00:47:48,790 --> 00:47:46,480 into line 1286 00:47:50,710 --> 00:47:48,800 i would remind everyone that in our 2014 1287 00:47:53,190 --> 00:47:50,720 budget request the president actually 1288 00:47:54,870 --> 00:47:53,200 added an additional 20 million dollars 1289 00:47:57,109 --> 00:47:54,880 bringing us up to a grand total of 40 1290 00:47:59,270 --> 00:47:57,119 million dollars for what i consider to 1291 00:48:01,510 --> 00:47:59,280 be the most critical effort right now 1292 00:48:03,109 --> 00:48:01,520 which is uh identification and 1293 00:48:05,829 --> 00:48:03,119 characterization 1294 00:48:07,270 --> 00:48:05,839 of near-earth asteroids particularly 1295 00:48:10,069 --> 00:48:07,280 earth-threatening 1296 00:48:12,150 --> 00:48:10,079 asteroids those that that we know very 1297 00:48:13,430 --> 00:48:12,160 little about and and know not enough 1298 00:48:16,710 --> 00:48:13,440 about the number 1299 00:48:19,190 --> 00:48:16,720 size characteristics of them 1300 00:48:21,270 --> 00:48:19,200 we mentioned in our 2014 budget also 1301 00:48:22,950 --> 00:48:21,280 that we were we would put aside 105 1302 00:48:25,510 --> 00:48:22,960 million dollars 1303 00:48:28,230 --> 00:48:25,520 to begin or to continue our effort to do 1304 00:48:30,790 --> 00:48:28,240 three things uh one identification and 1305 00:48:32,950 --> 00:48:30,800 characterization second which is sort of 1306 00:48:34,950 --> 00:48:32,960 new would be actually 1307 00:48:37,030 --> 00:48:34,960 rendezvousing with and trying to 1308 00:48:39,750 --> 00:48:37,040 redirect an asteroid 1309 00:48:41,990 --> 00:48:39,760 sort of in response to our question that 1310 00:48:43,750 --> 00:48:42,000 we always get about can we protect the 1311 00:48:44,710 --> 00:48:43,760 planet the answer to that is no right 1312 00:48:46,309 --> 00:48:44,720 now 1313 00:48:48,549 --> 00:48:46,319 but if we're able to demonstrate that 1314 00:48:51,430 --> 00:48:48,559 humans are able to redirect an asteroid 1315 00:48:53,270 --> 00:48:51,440 or deflect it in some slight way we may 1316 00:48:55,430 --> 00:48:53,280 be getting close to the day that we say 1317 00:48:58,630 --> 00:48:55,440 yes we can protect the planet and then 1318 00:49:01,190 --> 00:48:58,640 the third segment of that strategy is to 1319 00:49:03,510 --> 00:49:01,200 utilize sls and mpcv or our heavy lift 1320 00:49:05,510 --> 00:49:03,520 rocket and multi-purpose crew vehicle in 1321 00:49:07,589 --> 00:49:05,520 development right now uh to take an 1322 00:49:10,950 --> 00:49:07,599 asteroid an astronaut crew 1323 00:49:12,870 --> 00:49:10,960 uh into cis lunar space in a in a stable 1324 00:49:14,790 --> 00:49:12,880 orbit where we would have relocated the 1325 00:49:16,710 --> 00:49:14,800 asteroid to actually do some human 1326 00:49:17,510 --> 00:49:16,720 interaction with an asteroid all of this 1327 00:49:20,470 --> 00:49:17,520 in 1328 00:49:23,109 --> 00:49:20,480 challenge to put humans with an asteroid 1329 00:49:24,150 --> 00:49:23,119 by 2025. i don't need to tell this 1330 00:49:27,829 --> 00:49:24,160 audience 1331 00:49:31,910 --> 00:49:27,839 nasa has a long long long history 1332 00:49:33,510 --> 00:49:31,920 of investigation and study of asteroids 1333 00:49:35,910 --> 00:49:33,520 we work with our international partners 1334 00:49:37,510 --> 00:49:35,920 for example the the japanese uh very 1335 00:49:39,670 --> 00:49:37,520 successful with their hayabusa mission 1336 00:49:41,990 --> 00:49:39,680 and bringing back uh a sample we have 1337 00:49:44,309 --> 00:49:42,000 osiris osiris-rex that we're all excited 1338 00:49:45,910 --> 00:49:44,319 about that's going to launch uh in the 1339 00:49:48,230 --> 00:49:45,920 next few years and then bring us back a 1340 00:49:51,109 --> 00:49:48,240 sample in the 2020s 1341 00:49:53,589 --> 00:49:51,119 and we also are currently watching uh 1342 00:49:56,150 --> 00:49:53,599 dawn the the dawn spacecraft 1343 00:49:58,630 --> 00:49:56,160 wind its way away from vesta where it 1344 00:50:00,630 --> 00:49:58,640 made amazing discoveries onto cirrus 1345 00:50:03,270 --> 00:50:00,640 that i am told as an asteroid but some 1346 00:50:06,710 --> 00:50:03,280 people may even classify as a minor as a 1347 00:50:08,390 --> 00:50:06,720 as a minor planet or a dwarf planet so 1348 00:50:09,670 --> 00:50:08,400 there's a lot of excitement ahead and i 1349 00:50:10,390 --> 00:50:09,680 just want to thank you all for letting 1350 00:50:11,990 --> 00:50:10,400 me 1351 00:50:13,829 --> 00:50:12,000 join this team today to talk a little 1352 00:50:15,270 --> 00:50:13,839 bit about what nasa's doing so i think 1353 00:50:17,190 --> 00:50:15,280 you're probably going to move on to 1354 00:50:19,349 --> 00:50:17,200 questions or something and i'll 1355 00:50:22,150 --> 00:50:19,359 stand by yes i have one for you right 1356 00:50:24,870 --> 00:50:22,160 now how does the asteroid initiative fit 1357 00:50:27,750 --> 00:50:24,880 into this overall agency plan to go to 1358 00:50:30,230 --> 00:50:27,760 mars and beyond 1359 00:50:32,710 --> 00:50:30,240 the asteroid strategy if you will 1360 00:50:35,109 --> 00:50:32,720 consist of three segments as i as i just 1361 00:50:37,190 --> 00:50:35,119 mentioned and very briefly for the sake 1362 00:50:39,109 --> 00:50:37,200 of redundancy let me let me mention what 1363 00:50:41,270 --> 00:50:39,119 they are again the first part of the 1364 00:50:43,750 --> 00:50:41,280 strategy the critical part for us 1365 00:50:46,549 --> 00:50:43,760 is identification and characterization 1366 00:50:48,630 --> 00:50:46,559 of of as many asteroids in our solar 1367 00:50:50,230 --> 00:50:48,640 system as we can the ones we're 1368 00:50:52,710 --> 00:50:50,240 primarily interested in and the ones 1369 00:50:54,630 --> 00:50:52,720 that the folk at jpl and other other 1370 00:50:56,230 --> 00:50:54,640 nasa centers are working on is 1371 00:50:58,069 --> 00:50:56,240 identifying those that are earth 1372 00:51:01,190 --> 00:50:58,079 threatening the the near-earth objects 1373 00:51:04,230 --> 00:51:01,200 that are that at some point may may have 1374 00:51:05,990 --> 00:51:04,240 a potential to impact earth or 1375 00:51:08,069 --> 00:51:06,000 impact some of the satellites that are 1376 00:51:09,910 --> 00:51:08,079 orbiting earth so that's that's the 1377 00:51:12,230 --> 00:51:09,920 first segment the president has proposed 1378 00:51:14,309 --> 00:51:12,240 40 million dollars for that in the 2014 1379 00:51:16,230 --> 00:51:14,319 budget the second segment that we're 1380 00:51:18,630 --> 00:51:16,240 proposing which is new 1381 00:51:20,790 --> 00:51:18,640 is to actually utilize continue our 1382 00:51:22,710 --> 00:51:20,800 development of solar electric propulsion 1383 00:51:25,030 --> 00:51:22,720 new propulsion techniques 1384 00:51:27,829 --> 00:51:25,040 to rendezvous with and actually try to 1385 00:51:30,710 --> 00:51:27,839 redirect a small asteroid 1386 00:51:33,349 --> 00:51:30,720 or a small piece of an asteroid to the 1387 00:51:35,670 --> 00:51:33,359 lunar vicinity what we call cislunar or 1388 00:51:37,670 --> 00:51:35,680 some people call it translunar space so 1389 00:51:39,030 --> 00:51:37,680 it would be in a counter-rotating orbit 1390 00:51:41,030 --> 00:51:39,040 of the moon 1391 00:51:43,270 --> 00:51:41,040 putting it close enough that that within 1392 00:51:45,270 --> 00:51:43,280 a reasonable amount of time we could 1393 00:51:47,510 --> 00:51:45,280 launch an astronaut crew that would go 1394 00:51:50,470 --> 00:51:47,520 rendezvous in lunar orbit with this 1395 00:51:52,150 --> 00:51:50,480 asteroid and do the third segment uh 1396 00:51:54,630 --> 00:51:52,160 which would be to actually have human 1397 00:51:57,270 --> 00:51:54,640 interaction with an asteroid it is still 1398 00:51:58,870 --> 00:51:57,280 to be decided whether that's robotic uh 1399 00:52:00,950 --> 00:51:58,880 human interaction where the crew never 1400 00:52:03,589 --> 00:52:00,960 has to leave the vehicle or whether we 1401 00:52:05,910 --> 00:52:03,599 venture out on an eva and do some some 1402 00:52:07,430 --> 00:52:05,920 direct intervention or interaction with 1403 00:52:10,069 --> 00:52:07,440 it uh like 1404 00:52:12,470 --> 00:52:10,079 physically taking samples by hand so 1405 00:52:14,309 --> 00:52:12,480 that we can bring them back to earth 1406 00:52:16,710 --> 00:52:14,319 one thing i will tell or some 1407 00:52:18,630 --> 00:52:16,720 clarification that i will tell people 1408 00:52:21,190 --> 00:52:18,640 this is not a science 1409 00:52:23,430 --> 00:52:21,200 strategy this is not a human exploration 1410 00:52:25,510 --> 00:52:23,440 strategy it's not a technology 1411 00:52:27,030 --> 00:52:25,520 development strategy it is for perhaps 1412 00:52:29,030 --> 00:52:27,040 the first time 1413 00:52:31,109 --> 00:52:29,040 a synergized strategy that pulls 1414 00:52:32,549 --> 00:52:31,119 together everything that nasa does and 1415 00:52:34,150 --> 00:52:32,559 does so well 1416 00:52:35,750 --> 00:52:34,160 and it even involves our aeronautics 1417 00:52:38,069 --> 00:52:35,760 mission directorate because that's the 1418 00:52:40,549 --> 00:52:38,079 home of of of our knowledge of 1419 00:52:42,390 --> 00:52:40,559 fundamental hypersonics research 1420 00:52:44,470 --> 00:52:42,400 and every time you leave and return to 1421 00:52:45,750 --> 00:52:44,480 the planet or go to another planet 1422 00:52:47,430 --> 00:52:45,760 nowadays 1423 00:52:49,270 --> 00:52:47,440 we're utilizing what the aeronautics 1424 00:52:51,589 --> 00:52:49,280 folk teach us about hypersonics research 1425 00:52:53,670 --> 00:52:51,599 so it's exciting for us i hope it's 1426 00:52:55,030 --> 00:52:53,680 exciting for all of our employees 1427 00:52:57,349 --> 00:52:55,040 because they're going to be doing a 1428 00:52:59,349 --> 00:52:57,359 taste of everything and and 1429 00:53:00,950 --> 00:52:59,359 as always happens there nobody's going 1430 00:53:02,950 --> 00:53:00,960 to be perfectly happy but everybody 1431 00:53:05,349 --> 00:53:02,960 hopefully will get a piece of this pie 1432 00:53:07,990 --> 00:53:05,359 well speaking of synergy you you 1433 00:53:09,829 --> 00:53:08,000 mentioned that a lot of different pieces 1434 00:53:12,870 --> 00:53:09,839 will be fitting together 1435 00:53:15,670 --> 00:53:12,880 different nasa centers but other us 1436 00:53:18,710 --> 00:53:15,680 agencies perhaps perhaps international 1437 00:53:20,870 --> 00:53:18,720 partnerships what are we talking about 1438 00:53:22,790 --> 00:53:20,880 gay it is our hope and and we have 1439 00:53:25,030 --> 00:53:22,800 already begun the effort of working 1440 00:53:26,230 --> 00:53:25,040 collaboratively with other agencies of 1441 00:53:28,549 --> 00:53:26,240 the government 1442 00:53:29,430 --> 00:53:28,559 whether it's the department of energy 1443 00:53:31,270 --> 00:53:29,440 uh 1444 00:53:32,950 --> 00:53:31,280 on and on and on 1445 00:53:34,630 --> 00:53:32,960 and we have also engaged our 1446 00:53:36,950 --> 00:53:34,640 international partners 1447 00:53:39,190 --> 00:53:36,960 one of the first sets of calls that i 1448 00:53:41,109 --> 00:53:39,200 made on the morning 1449 00:53:43,750 --> 00:53:41,119 that we were rolling our budget out was 1450 00:53:45,349 --> 00:53:43,760 to the heads of of of our partner 1451 00:53:47,670 --> 00:53:45,359 agencies on the international space 1452 00:53:50,470 --> 00:53:47,680 station and there are there are five big 1453 00:53:52,710 --> 00:53:50,480 agencies that that predominantly run the 1454 00:53:55,270 --> 00:53:52,720 international space agency uh the 1455 00:53:57,510 --> 00:53:55,280 russian space agency jaxa from japan 1456 00:53:59,750 --> 00:53:57,520 canadian space agency the european space 1457 00:54:02,470 --> 00:53:59,760 agency which is huge uh jean-jacques 1458 00:54:04,069 --> 00:54:02,480 dordan is the as the the um the head of 1459 00:54:06,630 --> 00:54:04,079 the european space agency which 1460 00:54:08,549 --> 00:54:06,640 encompasses uh more than 20 different 1461 00:54:11,190 --> 00:54:08,559 nations in europe and then the united 1462 00:54:13,510 --> 00:54:11,200 states through nasa but all of them were 1463 00:54:15,109 --> 00:54:13,520 briefed on this concept all of them were 1464 00:54:17,510 --> 00:54:15,119 very receptive 1465 00:54:19,750 --> 00:54:17,520 and everybody's waiting to see 1466 00:54:21,589 --> 00:54:19,760 how we're going to formulate the the 1467 00:54:23,349 --> 00:54:21,599 actual details of the mission so mission 1468 00:54:26,150 --> 00:54:23,359 formulation will begin 1469 00:54:28,309 --> 00:54:26,160 uh later this this summer 1470 00:54:30,790 --> 00:54:28,319 and hopefully we will be able to come 1471 00:54:32,870 --> 00:54:30,800 out and and brief the american public on 1472 00:54:35,829 --> 00:54:32,880 a little bit more meaty concept sometime 1473 00:54:38,069 --> 00:54:35,839 next fall or winter all right well we 1474 00:54:40,870 --> 00:54:38,079 promised our audience that we would also 1475 00:54:42,470 --> 00:54:40,880 give you a social media question so here 1476 00:54:43,190 --> 00:54:42,480 is one and it could be a tough one for 1477 00:54:46,069 --> 00:54:43,200 you 1478 00:54:48,950 --> 00:54:46,079 it's they usually are yeah they are 1479 00:54:52,470 --> 00:54:48,960 if an asteroid was to collide with earth 1480 00:54:54,950 --> 00:54:52,480 is there anything we could do about it 1481 00:54:58,309 --> 00:54:54,960 gay unfortunately for the for the 1482 00:55:00,390 --> 00:54:58,319 questioner um the answer is no right now 1483 00:55:02,470 --> 00:55:00,400 the and let's let's not say that we we 1484 00:55:05,270 --> 00:55:02,480 work with fema today with the federal 1485 00:55:06,870 --> 00:55:05,280 emergency management agency we work with 1486 00:55:08,390 --> 00:55:06,880 department of state we work with the 1487 00:55:11,109 --> 00:55:08,400 department of defense 1488 00:55:12,950 --> 00:55:11,119 when we get indications and it is nasa 1489 00:55:14,950 --> 00:55:12,960 usually that gets the first indications 1490 00:55:15,910 --> 00:55:14,960 that a near-earth object is inbound 1491 00:55:18,309 --> 00:55:15,920 whether it's 1492 00:55:20,470 --> 00:55:18,319 junk falling from space as we have had 1493 00:55:22,789 --> 00:55:20,480 happen several times over the past 1494 00:55:24,710 --> 00:55:22,799 12 to 14 months or whether it is really 1495 00:55:26,549 --> 00:55:24,720 an asteroid 1496 00:55:28,230 --> 00:55:26,559 as was the case 1497 00:55:31,190 --> 00:55:28,240 a few months ago 1498 00:55:33,109 --> 00:55:31,200 we we notify our partner agencies if 1499 00:55:34,549 --> 00:55:33,119 it's one that looks like its trajectory 1500 00:55:36,069 --> 00:55:34,559 is going to bring it and potentially 1501 00:55:38,870 --> 00:55:36,079 impact earth 1502 00:55:41,190 --> 00:55:38,880 we work as diligently as we can with 1503 00:55:42,230 --> 00:55:41,200 other agencies to get an as accurate a 1504 00:55:45,109 --> 00:55:42,240 prediction 1505 00:55:47,829 --> 00:55:45,119 of the entry point and potential impact 1506 00:55:49,670 --> 00:55:47,839 point as we can so that the so that fema 1507 00:55:52,230 --> 00:55:49,680 can then begin to work if it's going to 1508 00:55:54,470 --> 00:55:52,240 impact uh the continental the united 1509 00:55:56,710 --> 00:55:54,480 states or so the state department can 1510 00:55:59,190 --> 00:55:56,720 begin to act if we think that it's going 1511 00:56:01,109 --> 00:55:59,200 to impact one of our one another nation 1512 00:56:03,349 --> 00:56:01,119 of the world because these are not 1513 00:56:05,510 --> 00:56:03,359 national threats these are these are 1514 00:56:07,270 --> 00:56:05,520 global threats and so 1515 00:56:09,750 --> 00:56:07,280 we have already had to do this many 1516 00:56:11,510 --> 00:56:09,760 times in the past 1517 00:56:12,950 --> 00:56:11,520 and and it seems to have worked 1518 00:56:14,630 --> 00:56:12,960 relatively well 1519 00:56:17,430 --> 00:56:14,640 we were surprised i think as everybody 1520 00:56:19,510 --> 00:56:17,440 knows by the by the small asteroid that 1521 00:56:20,870 --> 00:56:19,520 that surprised us over russia about two 1522 00:56:22,230 --> 00:56:20,880 or three months ago 1523 00:56:23,910 --> 00:56:22,240 um but 1524 00:56:25,750 --> 00:56:23,920 that's what we're trying to avoid with 1525 00:56:27,829 --> 00:56:25,760 increased effort on identification and 1526 00:56:29,750 --> 00:56:27,839 characterization is it so that we're not 1527 00:56:32,950 --> 00:56:29,760 surprised by something that can can 1528 00:56:35,589 --> 00:56:32,960 impact earth uh but the the mitigation 1529 00:56:37,990 --> 00:56:35,599 the actual ability to protect earth uh 1530 00:56:39,990 --> 00:56:38,000 is not within our technological grasp 1531 00:56:42,470 --> 00:56:40,000 right now and that's that's why this the 1532 00:56:45,190 --> 00:56:42,480 asteroid strategy and the second segment 1533 00:56:47,510 --> 00:56:45,200 of of actually a an effort to redirect 1534 00:56:50,069 --> 00:56:47,520 an asteroid is so so important to the 1535 00:56:52,549 --> 00:56:50,079 world not just to the us and we heard it 1536 00:56:55,270 --> 00:56:52,559 from you it's not a an easy thing to 1537 00:56:56,789 --> 00:56:55,280 answer but there are steps being made in 1538 00:56:59,589 --> 00:56:56,799 that direction and that's the most 1539 00:57:01,589 --> 00:56:59,599 important thing yes very much so all 1540 00:57:03,190 --> 00:57:01,599 right well thank you so much for the 1541 00:57:04,950 --> 00:57:03,200 update administrator bold and we 1542 00:57:07,430 --> 00:57:04,960 appreciate you carving out a little bit 1543 00:57:09,349 --> 00:57:07,440 of your day just for us and to be a part 1544 00:57:10,789 --> 00:57:09,359 of our program thanks so much okay 1545 00:57:12,789 --> 00:57:10,799 thanks so very much for letting me be a 1546 00:57:15,430 --> 00:57:12,799 part of the program and and thanks to 1547 00:57:18,230 --> 00:57:15,440 all of the folk around the nasa family 1548 00:57:21,270 --> 00:57:18,240 uh who who work at this so diligently 1549 00:57:23,270 --> 00:57:21,280 every day um my visit to jpl for example 1550 00:57:25,430 --> 00:57:23,280 last week was v really really really 1551 00:57:27,270 --> 00:57:25,440 enlightening and informative to me 1552 00:57:29,510 --> 00:57:27,280 and it's always good to meet with a 1553 00:57:31,190 --> 00:57:29,520 bunch of people that that are passionate 1554 00:57:32,630 --> 00:57:31,200 about things like saving the earth the 1555 00:57:34,470 --> 00:57:32,640 way that you all are out there thank you 1556 00:57:36,549 --> 00:57:34,480 very much oh it's a pleasure having you 1557 00:57:38,390 --> 00:57:36,559 a part of the show thank you 1558 00:57:40,710 --> 00:57:38,400 so we have a few more 1559 00:57:43,109 --> 00:57:40,720 social media questions that i can have 1560 00:57:45,109 --> 00:57:43,119 you feel paul if you're okay and some of 1561 00:57:46,230 --> 00:57:45,119 them are kind of tough 1562 00:57:48,549 --> 00:57:46,240 um 1563 00:57:51,589 --> 00:57:48,559 how far can we watch an incoming 1564 00:57:55,109 --> 00:57:51,599 asteroid and get an early warning 1565 00:57:57,030 --> 00:57:55,119 well that would depend on how big it is 1566 00:57:58,710 --> 00:57:57,040 and it would also depend on its sort of 1567 00:58:01,349 --> 00:57:58,720 orbit this was an eccentric orbit for 1568 00:58:02,870 --> 00:58:01,359 qe2 we had a chance to see it 15 years 1569 00:58:05,030 --> 00:58:02,880 ago and we discovered it then when it 1570 00:58:07,510 --> 00:58:05,040 was relatively near the earth 1571 00:58:09,829 --> 00:58:07,520 we would 1572 00:58:11,750 --> 00:58:09,839 be able to see many of these many orbits 1573 00:58:14,630 --> 00:58:11,760 before they would hit the earth if if it 1574 00:58:17,510 --> 00:58:14,640 was on a collision course so the idea is 1575 00:58:18,870 --> 00:58:17,520 to discover them as early as possible 1576 00:58:21,270 --> 00:58:18,880 the earlier we find them the more 1577 00:58:23,589 --> 00:58:21,280 warning time we have more information 1578 00:58:26,230 --> 00:58:23,599 well that wraps things up for us here at 1579 00:58:29,270 --> 00:58:26,240 jpl we'd like to thank the folks at the 1580 00:58:31,430 --> 00:58:29,280 south africa astronomical observatory in 1581 00:58:34,069 --> 00:58:31,440 sutherland the radar scientists and the 1582 00:58:36,150 --> 00:58:34,079 team at goldstone of course paul chodas 1583 00:58:39,510 --> 00:58:36,160 steve whistler and doug ellison here at 1584 00:58:41,910 --> 00:58:39,520 jpl in mission control and we and of 1585 00:58:43,990 --> 00:58:41,920 course administrator bolden and we look 1586 00:58:46,150 --> 00:58:44,000 forward to all the exciting results 1587 00:58:48,309 --> 00:58:46,160 ahead now if you're interested in more 1588 00:58:51,829 --> 00:58:48,319 information about asteroids here are two 1589 00:58:54,150 --> 00:58:51,839 websites to check out nasa.gov 1590 00:58:56,870 --> 00:58:54,160 asteroids or you can follow us on 1591 00:58:59,190 --> 00:58:56,880 twitter at twitter.com