Susceptibility of Near Earth Objects to Trajectory Diversion via Tether and Ballast Mass Attachment

Paper number

IAC-08.A3.I.7

Author

Mr. David French, North Carolina State University, United States

Coauthor

Prof. Andre Mazzoleni, North Carolina State University, United States

Year

2008

Abstract

The threat imposed by an Earth-threatening asteroid or other near Earth
object (NEO) has received increased attention in recent years.  The
projected impact (later revised to a near miss) of the Apophis asteroid in
2036 brought focus to the threat imposed by such an event, which could
range from localized, to regional or even global effects--with the worst
case being the extinction of the human race.  Several mitigation
techniques for such an event have been put forward.  This paper is part of
a study to determine how to use a long tether and ballast mass to mitigate
the threat imposed by an Earth-threating NEO.  In an earlier study, a
numerical analysis was conducted that indicated that very long tethers (at
least 10,000 km long) and/or very large ballast masses (as much as
one-tenth the asteroid's mass) would, in general, be needed to
significantly alter the course of an NEO in a relatively short time frame
(less than 50 years).  The parametric study presented in this paper
reveals a more accurate picture of the conditions necessary to divert NEOs
of various sizes.  It concludes with a classification of which currently
identified potentially Earth threatening NEOs could be mitigated using the
tether and ballast mass technique.  The study involves the numerical
simulation of a great number of NEOs of various sizes and orbital paths
both with and without tethers (of various lengths) and ballast masses (of
various sizes) attached to determine the effect on the asteroids path. 
The results show that the susceptibility depends heavily on ballast mass
to NEO mass ratio, tether length and orbital parameters.

Abstract document

IAC-08.A3.I.7.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-08.A3.I.7.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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