Previous space missions have shown that humans are capable of changing the flight trajectories of asteroids. This unique ability may save the entire planet from a potential cosmic threat in the future.
Now specialists have tested the alternative by firing X-ray pulses into the surface of two model asteroids located in a vacuum. What effects were achieved?
These model asteroids were only 12 mm wide. One was made of quartz, the other of fused silica. The objects were in a vacuum and moving at a speed of about 70 m/s. Scientists shot them with 1.5-megajoule X-ray pulses. For this they used the world’s largest impulse device called “Z”.
The impulse caused the objects to heat up very strongly, causing them to release a large cloud of dustwhile creating a shock wave that pushed against the asteroids. This resulted in their significant shift from their original position.
Used here Newton’s third lawthe acceleration of gases evaporating from comets exerts a force on their nucleus that may be sufficient to change their trajectory.
It was also calculated that the new technology (after some modifications and increasing the force) would be able to change the trajectory of an asteroid aimed at diameter about 4 km. Specialists point out that it is very difficult to estimate the force that may be generated on a natural (large) asteroid after causing a shock wave.
Moreover, they note that there are no natural objects in our immediate cosmic neighborhood on which the new technology could be tested. Therefore, demonstrating that artificial asteroids can replace natural ones is a huge step forward increasing the Earth’s space defense.
Researchers point out that the Earth will face this at some point cosmic threatwhich is an asteroid rushing towards us. Therefore, by then it is necessary to come up with and develop many ideas to deal with this issue.
The research results were published in a scientific journal Nature Physics.
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Source: geekweek.interia.pl
