https://www.bloomberg.com/authors/ARDlgL8ihfM/bryan-walsh RSS for Node Sun, 10 May 2026 22:09:47 GMT https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-05-11/an-asteroid-may-kill-us-all-congress-is-pinching-pennies https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-05-11/an-asteroid-may-kill-us-all-congress-is-pinching-pennies Thu, 11 May 2017 14:30:07 GMT SPACE - UNDATED: An artists impression showing an asteroid belt around a star similar in size to the sun. MEET Brit Lightyear - the British spaceman who could be called upon to save the world from Armageddon. Major Tim Peake, 40 - Britain's first official astronaut - is part of a specialist team training to land on an asteroid, just like in the Hollywood blockbuster starring Bruce Willis. Their research could prove vital in preventing a catastrophic collision that would see life on earth wiped out. The mission, carried out by NASA Extreme Environment Missions Operations, will eventually see the a manned shuttle propelled up to three million miles into space. There they will reach speeds of up to 55,000mph through a swing-by - where a planets gravity is used to increase speed - as they attempt to dock on the surface and carry out crucial research. But should an meteorite find itself on a catastrophic collision course with earth, a manned mission could be used to deflect it. And Brit Tim would be in line to answer the call as bruce Willis' oil magnate character did in the hit film Armageddon. PHOTOGRAPH BY NASA / Barcroft Media /Barcoft Media via Getty Images https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-03-10/a-miracle-within-trump-s-reach-universal-flu-vaccine https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-03-10/a-miracle-within-trump-s-reach-universal-flu-vaccine Fri, 10 Mar 2017 13:30:06 GMT