Deflection method · Theoretical
Nuclear Deflection
Detonating a nuclear device near an asteroid — not to blow it apart, but to vaporise a layer of its surface, the escaping material shoving it onto a new course. Studied only as a last resort for the largest objects or the shortest warning times; it has never been tested and remains theoretical.
Highlights
- ›A theoretical last resort — never tested
Surveys, missions & objects
Knowledge connections
- Associated withDeflection
- Associated with101955 Bennu
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.