An Anchored Electromagnetic Mass Driver Throwing Regolith from a 260-Metre Asteroid

This paper computes an anchored mass driver that excavates regolith from a 260 m asteroid of mass 18,405,544,160 kg and accelerates it away at 420 m per second. At a mass flow of 0.011 kg per second the driver produces 4.62 N and an acceleration of 2.51e-10 m per second squared, drawing 1,347.5 W. Over 3.5 years it delivers 27.7 mm per second against a requirement of 22.6 mm per second for a 10,000 km displacement with ten years of warning, a margin ratio of 1.22, a computed separation of 12,249 km, and a total ejected mass of 1,214,968 kg, which is 0.0066 percent of the body. This is a computed study of a deflection system for planetary defence, with no targeting or weapon application. It is simulated, not measured.