This area will cover relevant news of the threat to the planet from Near Earth Objects (NEOs) including concepts and designs for mitigation. All opinions are those of the author.

List of Mitigation Techniques

Note: This List is Incomplete.

  • Chemical Rocket Propulsion: A chemical rocket is attached to the asteroid and ignited.
  • Solar Sail: A solar sail is attached to the NEO and effectively increases its cross-sectional area. This, in turn, increases the effect of solar pressure on the NEO.
  • Solar Ablation: A series of mirrors and lenses focus sunlight onto the NEO, causing material on the NEO’s surface to be expelled.
  • Laser Ablation: A spacecraft focuses a high-energy laser on the NEO, causing the material on the surface of the NEO to heat up and be expelled from the surface.
  • Standoff Nuclear Detonation: A nuclear explosive device is detonated near the asteroid, causing the asteroid's outermost layers to vaporize.
  • High Isp Rocket Propulsion: A high specific impulse (Isp) rocket is attached to the asteroid and fires its engines over an extended period of time (i.e. VASIMR)
  • Mass Driver: A lander with drilling equipment attaches to the asteroid, drills material out, and ejects it at high velocity.
  • Kinetic Impactor: A spacecraft traveling at high relative velocity is impacted into the asteroid.
  • Gravitational Tractor: A spacecraft is stationed very near to the asteroid such that their mutual gravitational attraction pulls the asteroid off course.
  • NEO net
  • Magnetic Flux Compression
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