US scientists have developed a method to deflect potentially dangerous asteroids using X-rays, effectively vaporizing asteroid material to alter their trajectory.
The technique involves using powerful X-ray pulses to create vapor plumes from an asteroid's surface, potentially shifting its path significantly without needing a spacecraft.
Experiments revealed that a four-kilometer asteroid could be deflected using X-ray pulses, altering its speed by about 70 meters per second.
This research, led by Nathan Moore at Sandia National Laboratories, suggests we can conduct asteroid deflection experiments accurately without involving actual space missions.
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