Editing Asteroid impact avoidance (section)

=== Mass driver ===
A [[mass driver]] is an (automated) system on the asteroid to eject material into space, thus giving the object a slow steady push and decreasing its mass. A mass driver is designed to work as a very low [[specific impulse]] system, which in general uses a lot of propellant, but very little power. This essentially uses the asteroid against itself in order to divert a collision.

Modular Asteroid Deflection Mission Ejector Node, (MADMEN), is the idea of landing small unmanned vehicles such as [[space rovers]] to break up small portions of the asteroid. Using drills to break up small rocks and boulders from the surface, debris would eject from the surface very fast. Because there are no forces acting on the asteroid these rocks will push the asteroid off course at a very slow rate. This process takes time but could be very effective if implemented correctly.<ref>Olds, John R, et al. Multiple Mass Drivers as an Option for Asteroid Deflection Missions, SpaceWorks Engineering, Inc. (SEI), Atlanta, Georgia, 30338, http://www.sei.aero/archive/AIAA-2007_S3-7.pdf.</ref> The idea is that when using local material as propellant, the amount of propellant is not as important as the amount of power, which is likely to be limited.