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MOSCOW. (Yury Zaitsev for RIA Novosti) -...
within this project"s framework, would act as navigator or pilot and could lift off atop converted ballistic missiles such as the Strela and the Rokot.The European Space Agency is now working on its Don Quijote mission aiming to check the possibility of deflecting a dangerous asteroid (once it has been spotted). A Russian Soyuz-Fregat launch vehicle would launch the Sancho and Hidalgo spacecraft, due to reach the asteroid with an interval of six to seven months. The Sancho would be the first to arrive at its destination, revolving around the asteroid. The Hidalgo would eventually slam into it at 10 km/s. The Sancho would then inspect the damaged asteroid and assess its changed trajectory. The unlucky asteroid is to be selected in 2007. The Sancho and Hidalgo are scheduled to lift off in 2010-2015.
Yury Zaitsev is an expert of the Space Research Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences.
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