Jupiter has a methane/hydrogen atmosphere, but the pressure has created a metallic hydrogen core. It's the rotation of this metallic hydrogen core that causes Jupiters massive magnetic field.
As far as moving an asteroid out of a collision path with Earth goes, probably the best way is to get to it early and attach a large ion drive to it. The constant firing of this kind of engine over a long period of time should vector it out of our path, given enough warning.
Deep Space One's ion drive operated for 16,246 hours while consuming only 72 kg of xenon propellant and using just 2.1kw of power.
Imagine one powered by a nuclear reactor
Dr. Mordrid
As far as moving an asteroid out of a collision path with Earth goes, probably the best way is to get to it early and attach a large ion drive to it. The constant firing of this kind of engine over a long period of time should vector it out of our path, given enough warning.
Deep Space One's ion drive operated for 16,246 hours while consuming only 72 kg of xenon propellant and using just 2.1kw of power.
Imagine one powered by a nuclear reactor
Dr. Mordrid
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