NASA study finds asteroid with 72% chance of hitting Earth
NASA recently conducted a study that revealed a potential asteroid threat with a 72% chance of hitting Earth. This was part of the fifth biennial Planetary Defense Interagency Tabletop Exercise, held at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Maryland. NASA's Lindley Johnson stated that this exercise allowed participants to consider challenging circumstances. He highlighted that "a large asteroid impact is potentially the only natural disaster humanity has the technology to predict years in advance and take action to prevent."
Exercise highlights gaps in Earth's asteroid preparedness
The exercise summary revealed key gaps in Earth's preparedness for a potential asteroid impact. These include unclear decision-making processes, limited readiness to implement necessary space missions swiftly, a need for timely global coordination of messaging, and undefined asteroid-impact disaster management plans. Johnson emphasized that the scenario considered was hypothetical with an undetected asteroid having a 72% chance of hitting Earth in approximately 14 years.
NASA's DART mission data used in exercise
For the first time, data from NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission was used in the exercise. The DART mission is designed to demonstrate technology for defending Earth against potential asteroid impacts. It has confirmed that a kinetic impactor could alter an asteroid's trajectory, providing a possible solution to mitigate such threats.
NASA's NEO Surveyor to enhance asteroid detection
NASA is developing the Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor, an infrared space telescope designed to expedite humanity's ability to discover most of the potentially hazardous near-Earth objects many years before they could become an impact threat. The NEO Surveyor is expected to provide ample time for Earth to evaluate and respond effectively to a potentially hazardous asteroid. NASA plans to launch the NEO Surveyor in June 2028.
