NASA's Stardust Passes Moon, Just Hours Away From Earth Return

Everybody seems to get excited about this event. I wonder if anyone
ever think that it may be a "pandora box"? Are there any precautions
to make sure that it does not contain toxic stuff or virus, or even a
black hole? What happens when they open it and it sucks everything on
earth?

wrote
What happens when they open it and it sucks everything on earth?

You won't feel a thing.

wrote:
Everybody seems to get excited about this event. I wonder if anyone
ever think that it may be a "pandora box"? Are there any precautions
to make sure that it does not contain toxic stuff or virus, or even a
black hole? What happens when they open it and it sucks everything on
earth?

Pretty much anyone who lives nearby will have their blood fatally turned
to a dry, sandy powder. Only elderly alcoholics and babies with
indigestion will survive.

On 14 Jan 2006 12:30:22 -0800, wrote:

Everybody seems to get excited about this event.

Not really. This is one mission for egg-head scientists to get excited
about. For everyone else then the whole highlight of this mission will
be a fiery re-entry streak across the sky.

And following this landing the only news would be limited to those who
actually care about the samples that Stardust returned.

Now the New Horizons mission is one that is a lot more public
orientated. Not only will this be the fastest launch from Earth (think
Bat out of Hell), but it will also be taking photos of a new class of
object never seen clearly before. Oh and the 9th planet thing.

I wonder if anyone ever think that it may be a "pandora box"?

The most you could hope for is another attempt to make a man made
impact crater and failing.

Are there any precautions to make sure that it does not contain toxic
stuff or virus,

In a way. This is in that they will do a very good job in keeping
Earth located toxic stuff, viruses and other bits out. I am sure that
it will work as well in reverse.

or even a black hole?

I think that Stardust would have noticed by now. Also since black
holes have a minimum mass limit then so would our whole solar system
soon notice.

You may be able to get a naked singularity though. Still, I heard that
those should be impossible, when singularities are always hidden
inside of a black hole.

Anyway, if the impossible does happen and Stardust returns a naked
singularity, then you just have to remember one thing...
Never stick your finger into a singularity. ;-]

What happens when they open it and it sucks everything on earth?

That would really blow.

Cardman
http://www.cardman.org
http://www.cardman.com
http://www.cardman.co.uk

"Cruithne3753" wrote in message
. ..
wrote:
Everybody seems to get excited about this event. I wonder if anyone
ever think that it may be a "pandora box"? Are there any precautions
to make sure that it does not contain toxic stuff or virus, or even a
black hole? What happens when they open it and it sucks everything on
earth?


Pretty much anyone who lives nearby will have their blood fatally turned
to a dry, sandy powder. Only elderly alcoholics and babies with
indigestion will survive.


But if you hyperventate real hard, the acidosis will neutralize it.


s

If the Stardust samples are retrieved successfully, would a mission
like this old proposal be worth a second look?

http://www.astrobiology.com:16080/eu...e.clipper.html

It sounds like a cross between Stardust and Deep Impact, but with
Europa as the subject body. It might be a viable alternative for
Europa given the past difficulty developing a mission to orbit Europa.
It sounds like it could work for getting close flyby pictures and
samples returned from asteroids, moons, etc. However, I'm not an
spacecraft engineer, so these are just my amateur impressions.

I have to agree that the Pluto mission probably has more appeal to the
public than Stardust. The public likes pictures (I think - at least I
do), and Stardust took its pictures a long time ago. Stardust@home
might generate more public involvement and interest with the mission
after the actual landing, depending on how many people participate:

http://stardustathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/

Hmmmmm, reality TV, or stardust@home ....... they may have a better
chance at getting lots of participation than one might think ...

red

In article .com,
wrote:
Everybody seems to get excited about this event. I wonder if anyone
ever think that it may be a "pandora box"? Are there any precautions
to make sure that it does not contain toxic stuff or virus...

Remember that Earth has passed through the tails of comets many times. If
there was anything hazardous in such materials in general, it would have
gotten here long ago.

This issue *has* been looked at; the general conclusion is that the risks
of this sort of mission are negligible.

or even a black hole?

If so, why has it neither (a) swallowed the spacecraft nor (b) parted
company with the spacecraft during course corrections?
--
spsystems.net is temporarily off the air; | Henry Spencer
mail to henry at zoo.utoronto.ca instead. |

Anyway, if the impossible does happen and Stardust returns a naked
singularity, then you just have to remember one thing...
Never stick your finger into a singularity. ;-]

ROLF, I've got to remember that one

Kelly McDonald

On 14 Jan 2006 12:30:22 -0800, wrote:


What happens when they open it and it sucks everything on
earth?

It'd spoil everyone's day.


--

Christopher

On 14 Jan 2006 12:30:22 -0800, wrote:

What happens when they open it and it sucks everything on
earth?

The Democrats will blame it on Bush.

Brin