One interesting technique is being worked on at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. The strategy would involved placing a laser system into space, or at a future Moon base. When a potential Earth-crossing asteroid is discovered, the laser would target it and fire for a long period of time. A small amount of material would be knocked off the surface of the asteroid, which would deflect its orbit slightly. Over a long period of time, the asteroid course correction would add up, turning a direct hit into a near miss.
A laser system like this is a long way off, but a system could be developed sooner that could focus on asteroids and help measure their properties and precisely track their orbits, helping remove some of the uncertainty.
Original Source: UAH News Release
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