This paper presents the results of a NASA Innovative Advanced Concept (NIAC) Phase 2 study entitled "An Innovative Solution to NASA's Near-Earth Object (NEO) Impact Threat Mitigation Grand Challenge and Flight Validation Mission Architecture Development." This NIAC Phase 2 study was conducted at the Asteroid Deflection Research Center (ADRC) of Iowa State University in 2012-2014. The study objective was to develop an innovative yet practically implementable mitigation strategy for the most probable impact threat of an asteroid or comet with short warning time (< 5 years). The mitigation strategy described in this paper is intended to optimally reduce the severity and catastrophic damage of the NEO impact event, especially when we don't have sufficient warning times for non-disruptive deflection of a hazardous NEO. This paper provides an executive summary of the NIAC Phase 2 study results. Detailed technical descriptions of the study results are provided in a separate final technical report, which can be downloaded from the ADRC website (www.adrc.iastate.edu).
Innovative Solution to NASA's NEO Impact Threat Mitigation Grand Challenge and Flight Validation Mission Architecture Development
2015
16 pages
Report
No indication
English
Astronomy & Astrophysics , Extraterrestrial Exploration , Astronautics , Spacecraft Trajectories & Flight Mechanics , Asteroids , Near earth objects , Nuclear explosions , Underground explosions , Space weapons , Asteroid detection , Asteroid missions , Hypervelocity impact , Impact damage , Mission planning , Deflection , Interception , Early warning systems , Sky surveys (astronomy) , Telescopes , Comets , Ballistic trajectories , International cooperation , Nasa space programs