Comprehensive Modeling of the Effects of Hazardous Asteroids Mitigation Techniques

A key challenge for the future of humanity is to develop and understand what technological options are viable for deflecting or mitigating hazardous asteroids. While the year-to-year probability of a major impact event is very small, it is certain that eventually humanity must confront such a possibility. In our research and technology development program we bring together a team of asteroid scientists and research engineers that have previously performed fundamental research on science and technology relevant to the modeling of hazardous asteroid mitigation. The goal of our work is to evaluate and study the likely outcomes from asteroid mitigation techniques that have been previously proposed or developed. We will use realistic models of asteroids to ensure that these techniques are evaluated accounting for the expected and predicted range of asteroid geophysical and dynamical properties of asteroids. Our research is a necessary and fundamental step in the overall design and evaluation of mitigation experiments and attempts. Our work also focuses on the necessary technology for the detection of mitigation outcomes and will use these as a fundamental metric for these techniques.

Our research is a necessary and fundamental step in the overall design and evaluation of mitigation experiments and attempts. Our work also focuses on the necessary technology for the detection of mitigation outcomes and will use these as a fundamental metric for these techniques.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.