Forget trying to move mountains, one University of Queensland researcher wants to move asteroids.
And for her efforts Mary D’Souza, a PhD student with UQ’s School of Engineering, has taken out the top prize in an international competition that looks at finding new and innovative ways to stop asteroids from hitting the Earth.
Ms D’Souza was recently awarded first prize in the Space Generation Advisory Council’s “Move An Asteroid 2008” competition, beating entries from around the world with her idea using enhanced solar radiation pressure to move an asteroid.
The asteroid in question is one that actually exists and could potentially collide with our planet in 2036.
“What I proposed was winding what amounts to Mylar film around the 330m diameter the asteroid,” Ms D’Souza said.
“By covering around 50% of it in reflecting ribbon, the enhanced radiation pressure from the sun could push the asteroid enough to miss the Earth easily.”
The St Lucia-based researcher said the unusual idea was the result of unusual circumstances.
“The idea came from sleep deprivation, I think,” Ms D’Souza said.
“I was a bit delirious staying up trying to come up with an idea, but it was such an interesting challenge it was worth it.
“I’m very excited to win.”
She said the competition was almost like a mental holiday from her PhD studies where she is working on super-orbital radiating flows, or how objects enter the atmosphere of other planets or re-enter Earth.
“My supervisor (Professor Richard Morgan from Mechanical Engineering) was really supportive and it was good to apply myself to a different area,” she said
For winning the competition, Ms D’Souza will travel to Scotland next month for the Space Generation Congress, where she will present her idea, as well as attending the world’s largest space conference, the International Astronautical Congress.
Media: Mary D’Souza (07 3365 1065) or Andrew Dunne at UQ Communications (07 3365 2802 or 0433 364 181).
