Gravity-Assist as a Solution to Save Earth from Global Warming

TL;DR

This paper proposes a novel method using asteroid gravity-assist maneuvers to increase Earth's orbital distance from the Sun, aiming to reduce global warming effects.

Contribution

It introduces a new geoengineering approach involving asteroid manipulation to gradually cool Earth by increasing its orbital distance.

Findings

Feasibility of asteroid-guided orbital adjustments analyzed

Estimated increase in Earth's orbital distance per scattering event

Potential cooling effect from orbital distance increase

Abstract

Global warming is one of the problems of human civilization and decarbonization policy is the main solution to this problem. In this work, we propose using the gravity-assist by the asteroids to increase the orbital distance of the Earth from the Sun. We can manipulate the orbit of asteroids in the asteroid belt by solar sailing and propulsion engines to guide them towards the Mars orbit and a gravitational scattering can put asteroids in a favorable direction to provide an energy loss scattering from the Earth. The result would be increasing the orbital distance of the earth and consequently cooling down the Earth's temperature. We calculate the increase in the orbital distance of the earth for each scattering and investigate the feasibility of performing this project.