The proposed strategy involves using a high-speed metal projectile to create a deep crater on the asteroid’s surface. In the second stage, a spacecraft would deliver a nuclear device into the crater and trigger a controlled underground explosion. The researchers also discovered that placing the charge approximately 30 meters below the asteroid’s surface could more than triple the asteroid’s trajectory change compared with a shallow explosion. However, scientists emphasize that using nuclear devices in space would be a last-resort option. With thousands of near-Earth asteroids being monitored by space agencies around the world, developing reliable defense strategies remains an important challenge for modern astronomy and space exploration.