Smacking a planet-threatening asteroid comes with big responsibility. If we slam an impactor into an asteroid in exactly the wrong spot, the space rock may pass through a “gravitational keyhole” that actually brings it to Earth — which is exactly what planetary defense scientists and mission planners don’t want to happen. The keyhole is an area in space where the …
Read More »Can we safely deflect a killer asteroid without making it worse? Only if we avoid the gravitational ‘keyhole,’ scientists say
