Aerospace News and Headlines

Simulation Shows That Nuking Earth-Bound Asteroids Might Be Safe

Researchers from the University of Oxford and deflection startup OuSoCo used the HiRadMat particle accelerator to expose a Campo del Cielo iron meteorite sample to intense radiation, mimicking a nuclear blast. The sample first softened, then flexed and ultimately restrengthened, showing a 2.5‑fold increase in material strength. These results suggest that certain asteroids could survive a nuclear strike without fragmenting, allowing safe redirection away from Earth. The study calls for additional experiments on varied asteroid types to confirm the findings.