Moving asteroids into and out of orbit

Well interplanetary right now is more or less broken fundamentally. The root problem is just the lack of interplanetary scouting options, doing something with deep space radar just lacks any kind of depth. Doing something like a robotic probe would offer a lot more depth and flexibility.

Mike

Do the build waypoints for orbital work on an interplanetary scale? Or do we still have to launch, select, then space move? Would be interesting if the orbital scouting (using existing or new) would launch directly to a planet chosen rather than work like the other units. Would be a bit more aesthetically pleasing too. Of course having the destination the same planet its launching from would work as is. Then people would be firing cheap probes around the system earlier on for future use. Still kind of wish things like the astreus was one time use, resulting in moving a commander a more long term decision, rather than planet hopping, he would have to get another orbital launcher up on his next position before moving again. If still in orbit of the home base, he has one chance to ditch back to ground and make a new astreus. Right now that thing is working more like an elevator.

edit: slight topic drift. sorry.

In the game? I dunno.

In reality? There would be no such threat. Interplanetary space is big, the size of a propulsion jet you could get from vaporizing an asteroid is minuscule in comparison. It also wouldn't be pointed towards the planet of origin.

Well, realism is the thing. It's even shown in the first concept trailer: if you fire explosives at an incoming object and break it up, all you get is a lot of small objects moving just as fast. The explosion necessary to stop something moving that fast in its tracks would be on the order of a star exploding.

You can't stop it, you can only move it far enough to the side that it's not longer lined up for impact.If you wanted to use bombs, you'd basically want to do the same thing as the laser: hit it on the side so it is deflected rather than broken up.

Further realism talk: nukes are crap in space. They deliver destructive power through the compression wave they generate. In vacuum, they're just giant, radioactive flashbulbs (and space is already full of radiation). They'd have to burrow into the object first to do any damage. But, again, you don't gain anything by shattering it. The pieces are still headed where they were always going.