Asteroids - The Boston Report

Which Side of an Asteroid a Nuclear Burst Hits Could Change Its Deflection Nearly Fivefold, Sandia Study Finds

November 10, 2026November 8, 2026 by Peter Klausz

NASA image of the near-Earth asteroid Bennu, one of three bodies modeled in a Sandia deflection study (file photo)

Sandia simulations found a nuclear X-ray burst could move an asteroid nearly five times more depending on the side it hits, a study in Icarus reported.

ESA’s Hera Sees Dimorphos for the First Time, Four Years After NASA’s DART Impact

November 10, 2026November 7, 2026 by Peter Klausz

ESA artist's impression of the Hera spacecraft passing the Didymos and Dimorphos asteroid pair

ESA’s Hera spacecraft resolved the asteroid Dimorphos for the first time from 1,280 km away. Detailed images of DART’s target are due Nov. 25.