Martha and I were absolutely riveted to our computer screens in September watching as the DART space vehicle inexorably closed in on that asteroid-ette Dimorphos. (Actually, it is classified as a “minor planet moon.” DART was an acronym for Double Asteroid Redirection Test). What a brilliant idea for NASA to build in a video cam so we back on Earth could watch the collision from some seven million miles away. Demolition Derby!
Closer. Closer. Closer. Then, BAM! Now we can, indeed, "look up" without fear. Take “asteroid collisions” off of the list of things to worry about.
But it was Martha who then had the “if we can put a man on the Moon …” epiphany. What other threats can we erase?
© Steven E. Cutts, 2022
a Studio C recording, December 2022
We kicked your little asteroid! How ‘bout that?
You two were cruisin’ blissfully, then he got smacked!
We came outta nowhere with our camera-totin’ hardware.
His orbit ‘round you’s now completey whacked.
We worried that a rock like you might threaten Earth.
Aiming at you first, we got our money’s worth!
Across some seven million miles, our sneak attack sure made us smile.
We hit the bull’s-eye in your cold, gray dirt.
We put our math and science to spectacular effect.
With this success under our belts, oh, what shall we do next?
Find cures for all the cancers undefeated.
Find water when supplies have been depleted.
Don’t let Mother Earth get overheated.
Protect all of the critters we’ve mistreated.
Figure out how not to go to war.
I don’t wanna study war no more.
Shrink gaps between the rich and poor;
We’re smart; we’ll solve all this for sure.
(Why haven’t we progressed like this before?)
We can pull this off again under the gun,
And hit a frightening shooting star like we’ve just done.
To fourteen thousand miles an hour, we might add atomic power.
Tell your fellow asteroids: if they don’t want to be destroyed,
We’ve got our safety shield deployed, so steer on past, then they’ll avoid
Us brilliant creatures third rock from the Sun!
We kicked your little asteroid! How ‘bout that?