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Old December 6th 08, 06:04 AM posted to sci.space.policy,sci.space.history
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Default Comet from another star?


On a more serious note, devoid of any anime nonsense, it seems to me
that the energy requirements to intercept an extrasolar comet on a
hyperbolic trajectory would be too great.
Too much fuel would be needed to even catch up to it.



Not if the probe used an ion engine like the one used by DS2. Or maybe
this would a good mission use Dr. Franklin Chang-Diaz's VASIMR engine.

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variabl...oplasma_Rocket