Plan B for Asteroid Deflection: Researchers Simulate Using Nuclear Bomb for Earth's Protection

While NASA has demonstrated asteroid deflection, scientists explore Plan B: a nuclear bomb. California researchers simulated its impact, revealing deflection or fragmentation possibilities.

Exploring Nuclear Solutions for Asteroid Threats

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientists devised a simulation to explore the nuclear bomb's potential role as a backup plan for asteroid deflection, should NASA's methods prove inadequate.

The aim is to refine survival strategies, utilizing the unique energy density of nuclear devices to counter potential asteroid threats. Although NASA exhibited success in asteroid deflection in 2020, Mary Burkey, leading the research, emphasized the prospect of launching a nuclear device millions of miles away with ample warning time.

Burkey underscored the unmatched energy density ratio of nuclear devices, positioning them as indispensable tools in addressing approaching asteroids. However, accurate predictions hinge on intricate multiphysics simulations encompassing X-ray energy deposition and subsequent material ablation.

LLNL's sophisticated simulation models, addressing various factors such as asteroid-like material surfaces (rock, iron, and ice) and complex processes like reradiation, are both intricate and computationally demanding.

The comprehensive approach renders the model adaptable to diverse asteroid scenarios, encompassing different porosities, source spectra, radiation fluences, source durations, and angles of incidence.

Megan Bruck Syal, LLNL's planetary defense project lead, emphasized the critical role of such simulation models in swiftly evaluating risks and preserving lives in the event of a potential killer asteroid threat. Despite the low likelihood of a large asteroid impact during our lifetime, the severe potential consequences underscore the urgency of proactive measures.

The team discussed their findings in full in the study, titled "X-Ray Energy Deposition Model for Simulating Asteroid Response to a Nuclear Planetary Defense Mitigation Mission" published in The Planetary Science Journal.

DART Spacecraft: NASA's Asteroid Deflection Plan

NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission successfully changed the path of an asteroid called Dimorphos, a big step in protecting Earth from space threats.

By intentionally crashing into Dimorphos, DART made it orbit its larger partner asteroid, Didymos, 32 minutes faster. This achievement, exceeding NASA's expectations, is the first time humans purposefully altered a space object's path, showing that asteroid deflection works.

The DART team emphasized NASA's duty to keep Earth safe and readiness to face potential dangers from space. Administrator Bill Nelson called DART's success a groundbreaking moment for planetary defense. DART's impact demonstrated NASA's commitment to protecting our planet and being prepared for unexpected challenges.

Ongoing research focuses on understanding how DART's collision affected Dimorphos. They're studying the debris, called ejecta, thrown into space during the impact. This debris helped DART push Dimorphos, like a jet of air moves a balloon.

The team is collecting data from observatories worldwide, radar facilities at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the Green Bank Observatory. They're now concentrating on learning more about Dimorphos, like its surface and strength, to understand the impact better.