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Initial findings of artificial impact on asteroid Ryugu
- ornornor 7y agoMaybe it’s just me but the title confused me... I thought they found artificial impacts on Ryugu, impacts that were artificial but not man made. Spoiler alert: the impact is man made and the article is about analyzing this impact.
- dang 7y agoI would say artificial implies man-made unless they buried the mother of all ledes.
- narag 7y ago9 million years ago is an intriguing dating for it. What would it be its origin? I guess a collision between two other asteroids. I wonder if it's possible to trace it back.
- unwind 7y agoHow did the probe accelerate that 2-kg lump of copper to 7,200 km/h (2 km/s)? Just asking if someone happens to know, didn't see it mentioned.
- dandelany 7y agoExplosively >:) https://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2013/pdf/1904.pdf https://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2013/pdf/1904.pdf
- Sharlin 7y agoThe impactor device was very similar to a HEAT warhead; a high explosive shaped charge lined with copper. Detonation of the shaped charge turns the copper lining into what's called an explosively-formed penetrator of EFP [1]. Note that the device was separated from the main probe before use and the probe itself was below the horizon when the impactor was fired in order to avoid damage from debris. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Explosively_formed_penetrator https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Explosively_formed_penetrator