Astronomical engineering: a strategy for modifying planetary orbits · HackerPapers discussions

Astronomical engineering: a strategy for modifying planetary orbits — mentioned by ben_w

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 17:42:18 GMT

> How do you know? It's not far fetched to think that, if humans don't go extinct in the meantime, they will continue to find ways to shape the world according to their needs. I'd say it's pretty far-fetched to imagine humans caring about things 7 generations into the future, let alone 3e7 generations. > By the time the Sun goes red giant, we may well have found a way to alter the orbit of Earth. By the time the Sun goes supernova, we may be able to move to another star. Who knows. We already know how to meaningfully alter Earth's orbit over such timescales[0], the sun won't go super-nova…

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Astronomical engineering: a strategy for modifying planetary orbits — mentioned by bunabhucan

Sun, 15 Jan 2023 08:12:54 GMT

This paper describes exactly that: https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0102126

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Astronomical engineering: a strategy for modifying planetary orbits — mentioned by jwm1

Mon, 09 Aug 2021 20:33:29 GMT

Cycling a large asteroid between Earth and Jupiter could be used to slowly shift the orbit of Earth, most of the energy coming from Jupiter. Astronomical engineering: a strategy for modifying planetary orbits [https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0102126]

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Astronomical engineering: a strategy for modifying planetary orbits — mentioned by ben_w

Wed, 03 Mar 2021 15:35:54 GMT

That question is definitely unknowable in advance, because our intelligence level leads to radical changes in the environment in which we exist. If we really, really, cared, we could set up a momentum exchange between Earth and Jupiter mediated by an asteroid, moving Earth further out and Jupiter (slightly) further in, chasing the outward drift of the Sol habitable zone: https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0102126 Also, we could (in principle, not saying we will or we should) engage in selective breeding or genetic engineering of ourselves; and while mind-uploading is currently SciFi, it’s in the…

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Astronomical engineering: a strategy for modifying planetary orbits — mentioned by FiatLuxDave

Wed, 13 Nov 2019 22:15:52 GMT

Here is a relevant paper which may answer some of your questions: https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0102126 I've been slowly writing a paper about how to move planets by using repeated gravitational assists from masses moving in orbits which repeatedly cycle between inner and outer planets, conveying momentum from one planet to another. Unfortunately, I just don't have time to finish it right now. Feel free to email me if you want to discuss this stuff in more depth.

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