From: Eugen Leitl (eugen@leitl.org)
Date: Wed Oct 23 2002 - 13:14:26 MDT
On Wed, 23 Oct 2002, Rafal Smigrodzki wrote:
> This is the reason why the use of nuclear explosions to
> vaporize a superficial layer for reaction mass will be much less
> effective than initially assumed, too.
While I heard similiar claims (never substantiated) I don't think
asymmetric ablation by barraging the rubble pile with tens thousands of
micronukes detonated at some ~100 m height will be ineffective. Especially
if this is a dirty snowball.
If it isn't, you can just enmesh the rubble pile into a carbon fiber net,
and let it be pulled off-course by an ion drive array.
The problem is not propulsion. The problem is detecting the damn things
sufficiently early, and to get your hardware there on time to deflect. It
may well require a nuke drive to get there on time.
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