However, NASA’s experiment also highlighted the limitations of this technique. Dimorphos was relatively small and composed of loose materials that made it easier to shift. Larger, more solid asteroids, the kinds that pose the greatest danger, may not be so easily swayed by a simple collision. This is where the more forceful impact of a nuclear explosion could become a critical tool in planetary defense.

Beyond Nuclear Blasts: Other Deflection Techniques

While the nuclear option may be the most powerful, it’s far from the only method on the table. Scientists are also investigating more sophisticated approaches to deflect asteroids. These include using focused lasers to vaporize a portion of the asteroid’s surface, creating a rocket-like effect as gases escape and propel the object away from Earth. Another concept involves coupling an asteroid with a fusion engine that could push it off course.

One particularly promising idea involves heating a small patch of the asteroid’s surface with a powerful radiation beam. This would cause a portion of the asteroid to evaporate, creating a jet of gas that could gently push the space rock away from a collision course. The basic principles behind this approach—evaporating rock using electromagnetic radiation—can be tested right here on Earth. And, given that different asteroids are made of varying materials, these experiments could help scientists fine-tune their strategies for different scenarios.

Cutting-Edge Laboratory Research

A recent experiment led by physicist Nathan Moore at Sandia National Laboratories brought us one step closer to understanding how nuclear explosions could work in space. Using a device known as the Z Pulsed Power Facility, the researchers produced a massive 1.5 megajoules of X-rays from a tank of argon gas, simulating the effect of a nuclear blast in a controlled setting.

The experiment involved suspending a small grain of fused silica—a material similar to quartz—within a metal foil to simulate a tiny asteroid in freefall. When the X-ray burst hit the grain, micrometers of its surface were vaporized, creating shockwaves. These shockwaves mimicked the momentum transfer that would occur if an asteroid were bombarded with radiation from a nuclear explosion in space.

By analyzing these results, scientists can now model how a much larger asteroid would react to a full-scale nuclear detonation. Their findings suggest that a nuclear explosion could indeed shift asteroids as large as 5 kilometers across, providing hope that we could avert a catastrophic impact with the right technology and preparation.