Dynamics and control problems in the deflection of Near-Earth Objects

In this report, we investigate the problem of mitigating the threat from an earth-impacting object. We provide a brief historical perspective of the subject, then focus on the problem of deflecting an object, with a unique new viewpoint leading to the development of a fundamental definition of the problem. Within the context of this fundamental deflection problem, we define several typical scenarios, each of which leads to classes of potential optimization problems to be solved. Many deflection strategies have been proposed in the literature, and we describe several of these, with emphasis on a classification that complements our fundamental definition.