Speaker
Description
As the threat of hazardous Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) continues to pose a potential risk to Earth’s safety, developing effective planetary defense strategies is becoming an urgent priority. One promising approach is the use of a nuclear deflection mission, leveraging the energy released by a nuclear device to alter the trajectory of an incoming NEO. This abstract outlines the key technologies and mission capabilities required for successfully deploying a nuclear deflection strategy to mitigate the impact risk from a hazardous NEO.
Key technologies are needed in areas such as precision targeting, nuclear device deployment, radar fuzing, and post-impact trajectory prediction. This includes the development of autonomous spacecraft capable of rendezvousing with the NEO in a timely manner, deploying a nuclear device with high accuracy, and assessing the effectiveness of the deflection through advanced sensors and real-time data analysis. Additionally, nuclear safety protocols, including radiation shielding and environmental monitoring, must be incorporated into the mission design to ensure that the operation does not produce unintended consequences for Earth's environment or orbit.
This study discusses the scientific and engineering challenges of safely and effectively delivering a nuclear device to an NEO and the integration of international collaboration in the development and deployment of planetary defense technologies. By outlining these critical technological needs, this work aims to provide a foundation for future mission planning and contribute to the global effort to safeguard Earth from potential NEO hazards.
Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC., a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International, Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-NA-0003525.