If a rogue asteroid careens towards earth, as Hollywood thrillers Armageddon and Deep Impact have speculated, will humankind be able to destroy it before it causes awesome devastation? Student Nitin Mishra has some answers and he will espouse them before top space scientists when they meet at Bucharest in Romania next week to exchange notes on the “near-earth” flyby of asteroid 2005 YU 55.
Mr Mishra, a student of Isro’s Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, has worked out a new formula that helps plot the path of a rogue asteroid and to launch counter offensive measures to insulate earth of any eventualities. This will help in the development of an early warning system.
He is among the three-member Isro delegation flying to Bucharest for the crucial meeting of International Academy of Astronautics.
Isro is supporting Mr Mishra’s travel to Romania for the meet beginning on May 9. His guide, Prof. Ramanan, is also accompanying the youth, dean of the IIST V. Adimoorthy told this newspaper.
“We hope that Nitin’s presentation will make a mark at the meet,” said Dr Adimoorthy.