Chinese researchers from the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology in Beijing have proposed what they believe to be the most effective method to destroy or deflect a large, Earth-threatening asteroid. Their approach involves a two-step process: first, a metal penetrator spacecraft would slam into the asteroid to create a deep hole, and then a second spacecraft would drop a nuclear bomb into this hole and detonate it.

According to simulations reported in the Space: Science & Technology journal in May, a 3-megaton explosion—equivalent to about 200 Hiroshima bombs—could completely blast apart an asteroid approximately 100 meters (328 feet) across. The researchers found that burying the bomb 30 meters beneath the surface could more than triple the change in the asteroid's speed compared to a shallow explosion, making it significantly more effective at pushing the asteroid off course.

This method, carried out entirely by uncrewed spacecraft, is said to have lower technical complexity and better defense effectiveness than simply detonating a bomb on the asteroid's surface. Unlike relying on a high-speed impact at a random location, the two-step process allows precise placement of the bomb deep beneath the surface.

The approach has been compared to the concept seen in the 1998 film "Armageddon," but with a focus on unmanned technology and improved efficiency.

Sources

South China Morning Post World, August 2, 2026: Chinese rocket scientists find ‘most effective’ way to nuke a doomsday asteroid