34 ms·
I guess it's important because momentum is a vector, and the debris fly off in a direction on average opposite to where we anted to push it, so this also means
by BlueTemplar 4y ago
I guess it's important because momentum is a vector, and the debris fly off in a direction on average opposite to where we anted to push it, so this also means that the momentum of the asteroid itself has been changed by (at least) that negative ? But why is this better than a perfectly inelastic impact without any debris ? Was a significant fraction of the asteroid blown away ?
- Fatnino 4y agoYou can apriximate the debris to rocket exhaust. There isn't an engine bell to direct it and make it all leave in the most efficient direction but it's still thrust.
- BlueTemplar 4y agoI know, my above statement wouldn't make sense without this assumption.