New Technique Revealed: How to Weigh 'Killer' Asteroids Traveling at 22 km/s
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Scientists Unveil New Tech to Weigh 'Killer' Asteroids Speeding at 22 km/s
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News18•03-03-2026, 19:29
Scientists Unveil New Tech to Weigh 'Killer' Asteroids Speeding at 22 km/s
•Johns Hopkins University scientists developed a new technique to accurately measure the mass of small, fast-moving asteroids, crucial for planetary defense.
•The method involves a main spacecraft passing extremely close (150 meters) to an asteroid, while a CubeSat monitors from 10 km, to detect subtle gravitational changes.
•High-precision Doppler or laser rangefinding instruments, along with updated optical navigation, are essential to collect data at speeds up to 22 km/s.
•The technique is vital for Asteroid 2024 YR4, which has a 4% chance of hitting the Moon in six years, potentially damaging Earth-orbiting satellites.
•Accurate mass data is critical for successful kinetic impactor missions like DART, ensuring effective asteroid deflection and strengthening planetary defense.
