Don Quijote, ESA asteroid investigation , geophysical characterisation and deflecti Options

[konangrit]

Asteroid buster to save planet

A BRITISH-LED team of scientists is designing a “space ram” to be fired at speeds of more than 20,000mph into any large asteroid that threatens Earth.

Although the craft, called Hidalgo, would be only the size of a domestic cooker, the force of its high-speed impact should be enough to deflect an asteroid far enough off course to pass harmlessly by.

The craft is being designed by scientists at Qinetiq, formerly the government’s defence research agency, as part of a project by the European Space Agency (ESA). The team, which has won a £315,000 grant for its preliminary designs, hopes to send the ram on a test mission against a harmless asteroid within 10 years.

Called the Don Quijote mission, it will cost about £200m and will be funded by the ESA. Designs from Qinetiq and two rival European teams will be assessed by the ESA before a winner is announced early next year.

While the chance of an asteroid hitting the planet is remote, research into the risks was given impetus by an incident in 1994 when a comet punched a hole the size of Earth into Jupiter.

“This mission will be a bit like a game of solar system billiards,” said Nigel Wells, project manager for the Qinetiq team.

The test launch is scheduled for 2011 when the mission will target two asteroids flying into the zone between Earth and Mars, 43m miles away. Although their trajectory poses no threat to Earth, scientists want to see if Hidalgo can nudge one of them off course.

ESA Don Quijote page.

[jasedm]

I recently recalled this mission concept proposal, and went searching for details (I knew I'd find a thread here if anywhere)
It seems to be a very comprehensive mission, with impactor and orbiter (similar to Deep impact) but with seismometers deployed to the surface before the impactor arrives, and a more comprehensive suite of instruments designed to study the target in some depth both before and after the impact..... trouble is, I can't find any information since September 2007, despite a good search.
Does anybody know if this ever progressed beyond the concept stage? - it would be a shame if not, as it looked fascinating, and the mission objectives reflect the current heightened interest in 'Torino' objects.

Jase