There are approximately 25,000 “city-killer” asteroids in near-Earth orbit—and most are yet to be found. Small enough to evade detection, they are capable of large-scale destruction and represent our greatest cosmic threat. But in September 2022, against all odds, NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission deliberately crashed a spacecraft into a carefully selected city-killer, altering the asteroid’s orbit and proving that we stand a chance against them. In How to Kill an Asteroid, award-winning science journalist Robin George Andrews—who was at DART mission control when it happened—reveals the development of the technology that made it possible, from spotting elusive asteroids and comets to figuring out their geologic defenses and orchestrating a deflection campaign. In a propulsive narrative that reads like a sci-fi thriller, Andrews tells the story of the planetary defense movement and introduces the international team of scientists and engineers now working to protect Earth.

Prizes

Short-listed for National Association of Science Writers Award 2025

"This vividly written book reads as much like a thriller as the film plots it is trying to correct… Andrews’s dexterity in explaining complicated concepts, including how to knock asteroids off-orbit, makes this book well worth picking up, but that verbal vivacity is matched by deep reporting… You will finish the book as informed as you are entertained." -- Chris Stokel-Walker - New Scientist
"[T]here is much here that will fascinate any space enthusiast." -- Andrew Crumey - Literary Review
"“[A] wonderful book… Andrews is a marvellous and witty storyteller… This is a scientific page-turner that builds up to a great climax and is written in an accessible and entertaining style, yet chockful of serious information. A direct hit, I’d say.”" -- Govert Schilling - BBC Sky at Night Magazine

Robin George Andrews is an award-winning science journalist who regularly writes about the Earth, space, and planetary sciences for outlets including the New York Times, the Atlantic, National Geographic, Scientific American, Washington Post, Nature, Atlas Obscura, Quanta Magazine, among others. He lives in London, England.