Story perspectives

Two-stage nuclear blast mission could deflect 1 km asteroid

8/4/2026

Summary

Story summary

CALT researchers propose a two-stage mission that drills a crater and detonates a 3-megaton nuclear warhead inside an asteroid.
Simulations show a 30-metre burial triples speed change, vaporizing a 100-metre asteroid or shifting a 1-kilometre rock by 30 cm s?¹.
The buried blast could change a 1-km asteroid’s speed enough for deflection with 60-70 days warning, a model-based result that warns of debris hazards and uncertain Outer Space Treaty legality.

History

Historical Context

The 1967 Outer Space Treaty, signed after Sputnik’s 1957 launch and a 1963 UN resolution, barred nuclear weapons in orbit. NASA’s 1998 Deep Impact probe proved a 370-kg impactor could alter a comet’s speed, showing kinetic deflection works. CALT now proposes a two-stage 3-megaton nuclear blast to shift a 1-km asteroid, reviving treaty-related security debates.

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Story summary

CALT researchers propose a two-stage mission that drills a crater and detonates a 3-megaton nuclear warhead inside an asteroid.
Simulations show a 30-metre burial triples speed change, vaporizing a 100-metre asteroid or shifting a 1-kilometre rock by 30 cm s?¹.
The buried blast could change a 1-km asteroid’s speed enough for deflection with 60-70 days warning, a model-based result that warns of debris hazards and uncertain Outer Space Treaty legality.

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