1. NASA preparing for comet danger to Mars satellites

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    A comet set to pass by Mars this October could come so close to the planet that NASA staff say that dust particles ejected as the comet heats up near the Sun could present a danger with orbiting satellites. The comet and dust particles are travelling at about 35 miles (56 kilometers) per second.

    On Oct. 19, 2014, comet 2013 A1 Siding Spring will buzz Mars about 10 times closer than any identified comet has ever flown past Earth, at roughly 86,000 miles (138,000 kilometers) from the planet.

    While the level of risk won’t be known for months, NASA is already preparing for maneuvers to place their satellites on the opposite side of Mars in the worst case. If the risk is decided to be less, NASA may still choose to orient the satellites with their least-vulnerable side facing the oncoming stream of comet particles. The safest orientation in terms of comet dust may be a poor one for maintaining power or communications.

    The path the nucleus will take is now known fairly well. The important unknowns are how much dust will come off the nucleus, when it will come off, and the geometry of the resulting coma and tail of the comet.

    During April and May, the comet will cross the range of distances from the sun at which water ice on a comet’s surface typically becomes active – vaporizing and letting dust particles loose. Dust ejected then could get far enough from the nucleus by October to swarm around Mars.

    “How active will Siding Spring be in April and May? We’ll be watching that,” Madsen said. “But if the red alarm starts sounding in May, it would be too late to start planning how to respond. That’s why we’re doing what we’re doing right now.”

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