NASA to mark July 4th by shooting at comet

Many scientists believe that an ancient comet impact released water and other compounds necessary for life on Earth. To test that hypothesis, they're going to analyze a comet by the time-tested method of crashing stuff into it:

[S]cientists hope to find out soon after they launch an 820-pound slug of copper into space, hoping to blast a hole in Comet Tempel 1. (snip) On Wednesday, a spaceship and probe will be launched on a path to Comet Tempel 1, beyond the orbit of Mars. Come July 4, if all goes well, the blast will reveal secrets hidden for more than 4 1/2 billion years. (snip) "There will be a flash right at the time of impact. We expect to observe that, although not from continental United States," [University of Arizona professor J. Jay Melosh] said. "We also have Hubble time ... and we have time on the Spitzer infrared telescope.

Maybe IMAO's notorious plan isn't so far off.