Exploring the Benefits of Using a Space Elevator for Planetary Defense

The potential threat of Near Earth Objects (NEOs) and the need for effective planetary defense strategies has become increasingly urgent. While a range of mitigation techniques exist, the development of a space elevator could provide significant advantages in planetary defense. The current mitigation strategies require the use of a rocket in order to intercept the NEOs, and therefore launch lighter interceptors at lower velocities. However, the implementation of a space elevator would allow releasing heavier interceptors at much higher velocities. These capabilities combined with faster response times, make space elevators a much more efficient response to planetary defense. By using computational simulations on MATLAB to calculate intercept trajectories and model the new orbit of the NEOs after impact, this paper demonstrates that the use of space elevators can significantly improve the current strategies for planetary defense.