4 ms·
Seems like two explosions would be much better. One to break up the rock, then one to disperse the cloud as widely as possible. If you don't have the payload to
by lxmorj 8y ago
Seems like two explosions would be much better. One to break up the rock, then one to disperse the cloud as widely as possible. If you don't have the payload to impart escape velocity onto the debris field with the second bomb, offset both explosions such that the combined delta-v changes the path enough to reduce or eliminate the likelihood of impact. We probably don't want irradiated sand burning up in the atmosphere at scale...
- gshubert17 8y agoLand a mass-driver on the asteroid. Escape velocity is small, perhaps a few meters per second. Scoop up bits of rock, throw them away. Throwing them in a consistent direction changes the orbit of the asteroid very slightly. With enough lead time, throwing enough mass away may reduce the size of the asteroid sufficiently or cause it to miss the earth.
- lxmorj 8y agoMakes sense. I think this is a great way to slam Ceres into Mars and cut this whole terraforming thing to the chase.