Nuclear Devices for Planetary Defense

This paper summarizes the perspectives of panelists participating in the discussion of “Nuclear Devices for Planetary Defense” (PANEL-17) at the AIAA ASCEND conference in November 2020. The panelists’ backgrounds, and therefore their individual contributions below, cover the range of relevant disciplines: of course planetary defense threats and missions, but also space systems engineering, nuclear technologies, nuclear deterrence, and last but definitely not least space law. This approach helps illuminate the topic from multiple angles in order to encourage follow-on discussions among the communities of interest.