If we were more established in space this could have been a golden opportunity.

Assuming we could have predicted the comet earlier. And assuming we had already
explored Mars thoroughly, we haven't. And assuming we had experimented with the
affects of smaller bodies crashing into Mars. Then we could have nudged this
jewel to crash into Mars to add volatiles, temporary heat to liberate more
volatiles, and possibly create some geologic activity.

Or if were weren't ready for that we could have incased the comet in a heat
shield and nudged it into an aerobraking trajectory with Mars so as to use the
Martian atmosphere to slow it into a Martian orbit for study and resource
utilization.

Brooks

--- In Space-Exploration@yahoogroups.com, "Glenn A. Walsh"
>
> A comet will make an uncomfortably close planetary flyby next year, but this
time it's not Earth that's in the crosshairs.
>
> According to preliminary orbital prediction models, comet C/2013 A1 will buzz
Mars on Oct. 19, 2014.