🚀 go-pugleaf

Mile-wide asteroid 1997 XF11 will pass within 30,000 - 600,000 mi of Earth 
in 2028 .  The International Astronomical Union announced 3-11-98 that 
it could possibly hit us - though NASA announced 3-12 that its closest 
approach would be about 300,000 mi.  NASA tentatively plans a flyby 
mission to determine the exact size and composition of 1997 XF11.

As a miner my first thought was - let's capture that sucker  & *mine*
it.  The late Gene Shoemaker (of Comet Shoemaker-Levy fame) once 
mentioned a scheme for steering a pot'l "Hammer of God" off the
bullseye - release a cloud of steam in the path of same, gently
(we hope) slowing it.  The EIS for this proposal would make interesting 
reading. . .

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News release from City of Truth "News-Leader"
[J. Morrow, prop.],  4-1-2028

Megaton Mining & Salvage announces the arrival of our new asteroid 
mine 1997 XF11 "Lucifer" in near-earth orbit today.  We expect 
this high-grade Fe-Ni-Cr-PGM producer will make us RICH beyond 
the dreams of avarice (almost).

Our highly trained orbital-adjustment engineers, aboard the powerful 
Ragnarok Space Systems "RASS Challenger", assure us that nothing 
can possibly go wrong during the braking maneuver.  This is 
reassuring, as a "glitch" could mean the end of civilization as we 
know it.   Ha,ha!   Just kidding!

Megaton's Salvage Systems division (MESS) stands ready - secure 
in our Habitat Headquarters bunker  -  in the unlikely event of a 
hard landing by "Lucifer".    With MESS on call, in a century or two  -  
you'll never know what hit you!

		        MEGATON MINING AND SALVAGE

		       "We Move the Earth for You"

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copyright 1998 by Peter D. Tillman

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