Near Earth Objects (NEOs) are rocky bodies like asteroids in our Solar System which have a possibility of impacting Earth. Some large NEOs pose a danger to humans if they impacted and researchers have been searching for ways to deflect hazardous NEOs. This article proposes using a solar sail, a spacecraft harnessing the Sun's radiation for acceleration and propulsion, to hit an oncoming NEO, thus deflecting its path and protecting Earth.

 

http://www.raa-journal.org/raa/index.php/raa/article/view/765