MITIGATION01

Civil defense
WHAT THIS MEANS
Civil defense does not
actually reduce the
probability of asteroid
collision, but rather
involves notif ying citizens
and decision-makers, and
preparing people and
infrastructure on Earth
for the asteroids impact.

M01
CONSIDERATIONS
The costs and logistics required for preparation.
The dynamics of international or regional agreements to
prepare for collision.
The risks of causing an unnecessar y panic if the asteroid does
not actually impact the planet.
The tradeoffs between preparing the Earth and taking
other kinds of actions to actually prevent the asteroid
from reaching the Earth.

MITIGATION02
Slow-push orbit change
(Gravity tractor)
WHAT THIS MEANS
Instead of sending an
impactor to ram into an
approaching object, a
gravity tractor device
would fly alongside the
asteroid for a long period
of time (years to decades)
and slowly pull it out of
Earths path.

M02
CONSIDERATIONS
The potential for mission failure.
The possible ineffectiveness on asteroids over 500 meters
in diameter.
The decades that would be needed for building, launching, and
carr ying out this mitigation mission.
The need for prolonged detection times (20 years or more).
The tradeoffs with other mitigation and/or civil
defense actions.

MITIGATION03
Kinetic impactors
WHAT THIS MEANS
Kinetic impaction involves
sending one or more large,
high-speed spacecraft into
the path of an approaching
near-earth object. This
could deflect the asteroid
into a different trajectory,
steering it away from the
Earths orbital path.

M03
CONSIDERATIONS
The potential for mission failure.
The need for detection times of at least 1 year. Chances of
success increase with longer detection times.
The risk of breaking the asteroid into smaller pieces that
could still threaten Earth.
The cost and factors needed to accomplish the mission.
The tradeoffs with other potential mitigation and/or civil
defense actions.

MITIGATION04
Nuclear detonation
or other blast deflection
WHAT THIS MEANS
Some experts have
proposed launching
nuclear explosives
from the Earth to
disrupt, destroy, or
redirect an approaching
near-earth object.

M04
CONSIDERATIONS
The potential for mission failure.
The need for international cooperation.
The readiness of the techniques.
Ethical considerations around the dependence upon
nuclear detonation techniques.