In a groundbreaking experiment, scientists at Sandia National Laboratories used the Z machine to simulate the effects of a nuclear explosion on asteroid deflection. The Z machine, capable of generating energy equivalent to over 1,000 lightning bolts, was used to create an x-ray blast that successfully pushed back two small targets at 160 miles per hour. This experiment, conducted in July 2023, marks the first time such a demonstration has been achieved, providing crucial data for planetary defense strategies. About 25,000 asteroids larger than 460 feet are believed to be near Earth, with just under half of them discovered so far. These “city killer” asteroids pose a significant threat if they were to collide with a populated area. While kinetic impactors like NASA’s DART mission have shown promise, nuclear deflection remains a vital alternative, especially for late-detected or larger asteroids. The Z machine experiment’s success offers hope that nuclear technology could be used to save lives by deflecting dangerous space rocks away from Earth.
Steve Jurvetson
@FutureJurvetson
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Feb 7 This is why I supported B612 early on — Asteroid Defense is Computational.
Here is how they figure out that red impact line:
Scott Manley
@DJSnM
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Feb 10 If you’ve been following my discussion of asteroid deflection scenarios you might be interested in this online tool designed to let you play around with the mechanics.
https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/nda/nda.html
Steve Jurvetson
@FutureJurvetson
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Feb 7 We have all that we need to deflect — we just launch a rocket to nudge it in the rear to make it miss Earth. The challenge is all about early detection and trajectory simulation.Over the long march of biological and now technological evolution, we have finally reached a
Yishan
@yishan
·
Feb 8 This is only because most people don’t know that we’ve had asteroid deflection capability for years now.You don’t deflect an asteroid by smashing a rocket or warhead into it. That will just break it up into several pieces that continue to head in the same direction (nothing
Hunter
@StatisticUrban
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Feb 6 This is the asteroid’s impact risk corridor atm. Current estimates suggest it could release the equivalent of about 7.7 megatonnes of TNT, about the same as a B53 nuclear bomb.Still a low chance though.
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