Scientists Simulated a Nuclear Strike on a 160-Metre Asteroid to See if Earth Could Be Saved From a Catastrophic Impact

Scientists simulated a nuclear strike on a 160-metre asteroid to see if Earth could be saved from a catastrophic impact

In a groundbreaking study, scientists conducted simulations showcasing the potential of nuclear warheads to neutralize hazardous asteroids. These experiments focused on strategies for fragmenting large asteroids prior to their collision with Earth. While this approach holds promise for planetary protection, it is viewed as a last resort, especially for threats detected late. Ongoing research is crucial for insights into fragment dynamics and the…

A 1-megaton nuclear blast could prevent 97% of a city-killer asteroid from hitting Earth

A 1-megaton nuclear explosion detonated near a 160-meter asteroid produced damage and motion consistent with the object breaking apart in simulations. The blast would not rely on a shock wave through space. Intense X-rays would heat the asteroid’s surface, blast material away and drive fractures through its interior. The simulations lasted only fractions of a second, so researchers still cannot say whether the remaining fragments would disperse …

Could Nuclear Asteroid Defense Stop a Large Near-Earth Object?

On May 18, 2026, Space: Science & Technology published the Wang et al. study, a research paper that puts nuclear asteroid defense at the center of a specific engineering problem: what can be done if a large near-Earth asteroid is discovered too late for slow deflection methods. The authors, led by Xiaowei Wang of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, study targets with equivalent diameters of 100 meters or more and compare two detonati…