Explained: How to deflect an asteroid | Explained News, The Indian Express

Explained: How to deflect an asteroid | Explained News, The Indian Express

By Express News Service |Updated: September 4, 2019 9:45:27 am

Explained: How to deflect an asteroid

Among all the causes that will eventually cause the extinction of life on Earth, an asteroid hit is widely acknowledged as one of the likeliest.

Mission profile of NASA’s DART mission, which aims to deflect Didymos B — the “moonlet” of the Didymos asteroid system. (Photo: European Space Agency)

Among all the causes that will eventually cause the extinction of life on Earth, an asteroid hit is widely acknowledged as one of the likeliest. Over the years, scientists have suggested different ways to ward off such a hit, such as blowing up the asteroid before it reaches Earth, or deflecting it off its Earth-bound course by hitting it with a spacecraft. Now, scientists have embarked on a plan to test their expertise with the second of these two methods.