NASA has outlined a strategy to combat potential planet-killing asteroids, drawing inspiration from the dinosaur extinction 66 million years ago. Here’s how they plan to defend Earth from these dangerous space rocks.
Although there is no immediate threat, NASA is preparing to counter potential near-Earth objects (NEOs) that could pose catastrophic risks to the planet. Their defense plan includes blasting asteroids with spacecraft or even nuclear explosives.
NASA successfully tested a kinetic impactor mission, known as the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), in 2022. This experiment involved slamming a spacecraft into an asteroid to change its trajectory. Though the asteroid tested didn’t threaten Earth, the mission showcased the ability to divert dangerous space rocks.
In extreme cases where a massive asteroid is detected just months before impact, NASA’s contingency plan may involve using a nuclear explosive device. A nuclear explosion could potentially deflect or break up a large asteroid, saving the planet from devastating impacts.
If an asteroid the size of the Chicxulub event were to hit Earth, the impact would create heat, vaporize materials, and send dust clouds into the atmosphere. This could block sunlight and lead to a prolonged “impact winter,” potentially causing mass extinction, much like the event that wiped out the dinosaurs.
