How tough are these asteroids anyway?

[NASAFanboy]

I sent Bill and Jebediah on the third Asteroid Redirect Mission after the last two were spectacular successes (And established two mining outposts in Kerbin Orbit).

They set course for a small B-class asteroid, then haul it back to Kerbin Orbit. On the way back, the decision is made to collect as many asteroid samples as possible, then toss it at a random land location on Kerbin. So they accomplish that, bringing in around 300 SP worth of samples then boarding the shuttle to take them back. After the shuttle lands at KSC, the deorbit burn for the asteroid begins, and it is pushed to directly impact a certain spot on Kerbin. And thus, the reentry begins. The spacecraft then releases the asteroid at 9,000m while it is plummeting to the ground, and I switch to the asteroid, expecting it to hit the surface of Kerbin and explode, only for it to strike at 500 m/s, bounce a little, then stay at rest and stare at me like "what, bro" as whatever remains of the spacecraft crashes and explodes behind it.

Local officials were very confused when a massive rock showed up overnight

Is this intentional on Squads behalf?

Has anyone experienced a similar thing?

And do you think we should make these asteroids weaker? It certainly does take the pleasure out of orbital bombardment, but the +60 science from samples is nice.

EDIT: Missiles striking at Mach 3 have failed to destroy the asteroid.

EDIT: Ramming the asteriod with an jet has failed. Camely Kerman is now KIA.

Edited May 11, 2014 by NASAFanboy
removed some minor profanity

[RocketPilot573]

I think the only way to destroy it is to smash it into water at high speeds.

[Fendleton]

......what about smashing two asteroids into each other?

If it works, we'll have a way to destroy them. If it doesn't, you'll have invented Kerbal Lawn Bowls.

[Captain Sierra]

According to the .cfg, their impact tolerance is 80m/s. Given kerbin's atmosphere aquires soup-like drag below a few thousand meters, it's likely that it's not reaching this tolerance upon impact. When colliding above this speed, the weaker object breaks first (I think mass is a factor here too), so crashing jets, which are made of parts, typically with an impact tolerance of <20m/s, into it won't work either.

Unfortunately, asteroids seem to pass through each other and cannot be smacked together.

[The Destroyer]

Do bowmling!

[CatastrophicFailure]

Unfortunately they WILL burn up in deadly reentry heat that would also destroy a space craft.

[SpaceSphereOfDeath]

I heard if you smash 2 asteroids into each other they just merge through each other.