[http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/12/nasa-harpoon.jpg](http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/14/nasa-building-a-harpoon-to-fire-at-comets-suddenly-renders-plot/)
Whatever [Michael Bay](http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/02/asteroids-heading-towards-the-big-screen/) uses to propel that "high-concept" imagination of his, he's obviously passed some of it to the boys at [NASA's](http://www.engadget.com/tag/nasa/) [Goddard Space Flight center](http://www.engadget.com/tag/GoddardSpaceFlightCenter/). A team there is developing a hollow-bodied harpoon that can be fired from a cannon toward comets too dangerous to land on. Once landed, it fills up with sub-surface samples before winched back aboard the waiting space craft. It's currently being tested by firing the harpoon (using a six foot ballista) into a bucket of dirt -- if they fired it horizontally it'd travel about a mile. After the break we've got video explaining this madness in some detail -- which we promise is Aerosmith-ballad free.
Continue reading NASA building a harpoon to fire at comets, suddenly renders plot of ‘Armageddon’ plausible (video)
NASA building a harpoon to fire at comets, suddenly renders plot of ‘Armageddon’ plausible (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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