Deflection of near-Earth asteroids by kinetic energy impacts from retrograde orbits

Details Deflection of near-Earth asteroids by kinetic energy impacts from retrograde orbits Deflection of near-Earth asteroids by kinetic energy impacts from retrograde orbits

Jun 2004

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2004p%26ss...52..587m&link_type=abstract

Planetary and Space Science, Volume 52, Issue 7, p. 587-590.

Computer Science

8

Near Earth Asteroids, Non-Nuclear Deflection, Solar Sailing, Orbital Mechanics

Scientific paper

Previous studies of non-nuclear diversion of near Earth asteroids have largely ignored the use of pure kinetic energy impacts, partly due to apparent limits on impact speeds of 10-15kms-1. Here, I will consider the use of a near-term solar sail to deliver an inert projectile onto a retrograde solar orbit, thus raising impact speeds to at least 60kms-1. Such high-energy orbits increase the energy liberated during impact by a factor of 40 or more, while reducing the required projectile mass by at least 95%. This considerable reduction in projectile mass allows kilometre-sized asteroids to be diverted with current launch vehicles, near-term technologies and at a cost comparable to a modest deep space mission.

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