China has proposed a new way to stop dangerous asteroids before they reach Earth. Researchers at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology say a two-step nuclear method could work better than simply crashing a spacecraft into an asteroid. The idea is to push the asteroid off its path or break it apart before it becomes a threat.
The research was led by China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology in Beijing. The team shared its findings in the Space: Science & Technology journal. According to the journal and reporting by the South China Morning Post, the study is based on computer simulations rather than real-world testing.
The new method is designed for large asteroids or those found only a short time before they could hit Earth. In these situations, current methods may not create enough force to prevent an impact. The researchers say a stronger approach could improve planetary defense.
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The system uses two uncrewed spacecraft. The first spacecraft fires a metal penetrator into the asteroid to make a deep hole. The second spacecraft places a nuclear bomb inside that hole before it explodes. The study found that placing the bomb about 30 meters below the surface sends much more energy into the asteroid than an explosion on the surface. A simulated 3-megaton explosion was able to destroy a 100-meter asteroid in the team’s model.
The researchers believe this approach could help protect Earth from future asteroid threats. They also found that deeper placement could change an asteroid’s speed by more than three times compared with a shallower explosion. The South China Morning Post reported that the method could be useful when there is enough warning time to prepare a mission.
The idea also has important limits. It has only been tested in computer simulations, not in space. It would require early detection of a dangerous asteroid, two spacecraft, and powerful launch vehicles capable of carrying a nuclear payload into deep space.
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The study adds another possible option for planetary defense. NASA’s DART mission showed that crashing a spacecraft into an asteroid can change its path, but that method may not be enough for larger objects. If future research supports these findings, the Chinese concept could become another tool for protecting Earth from rare but serious asteroid threats.
