Overview

• Researchers, including NASA-affiliated scientists, detail options ranging from a reconnaissance flyby to a kinetic deflection and a final nuclear disruption plan.
• The proposal envisions detonating up to two 100-kiloton devices in a "kinetic disruption" mission if required.
• Follow-up observations have ruled out an Earth strike, but NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies still sees a small chance of a December 22, 2032 impact on the Moon.
• Scientists warn a lunar hit could loft over 100 million kilograms of debris, elevating micrometeoroid hazards for satellites and potentially astronauts on the International Space Station.
• Any mission would need years to build and launch, with feasible windows identified between late 2029 and late 2031, and the authors note the nuclear option carries risks including unintended trajectory changes.