"Dr Kelly Fast, who leads efforts to find and track near-Earth objects like asteroids and comets, admitted they are still looking for around 15,000 mid-sized celestial bodies which could pose a threat. While an impact from one of these - defined by being at least 140 metres wide - would likely not destroy the planet, they could 'really cause regional damage', she said."
"In 2022, NASA deliberately sent a spacecraft called Dart 6.8 million miles into space to crash into a mini moon called Dimorphos at 14,000mph in a bid to alter its orbit. This mission was hailed as a success, paving the way for defending our planet by knocking incoming asteroids off their set path towards Earth."
"She referenced YR4, an asteroid measuring up to 90 metres wide, which last year was deemed to have a 3.2 per cent chance of hitting Earth in 2032. Eventually this chance was downgraded to zero, meaning no defensive action needed to be taken. 'If something like YR4 had been headed towards the Earth, we would not have any way to go and deflect it actively right now,' she added. 'We could be prepared for this threat. And I don't see that investment being made.'"
Around 15,000 mid-sized near-Earth objects (at least 140 metres wide) remain undetected and could cause significant regional damage if they impacted Earth. NASA's DART mission in 2022 successfully altered the orbit of Dimorphos, demonstrating that kinetic impact can change an asteroid's trajectory. No follow-up DART-like spacecraft is currently available to launch quickly against an unexpected threat. An example asteroid, YR4, briefly had a 3.2% impact probability for 2032 before being downgraded to zero. Current defenses lack an active, ready-to-launch deflection capability and require additional investment and preparedness.
Read at Mail Online
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