NASA has stated that a highly specific event would occur such as an asteroid collision.
The thought of a massive asteroid collision is terrifying. Although it's a scenario usually found in movies like Armageddon, NASA does have a plan in case it ever happens.
Besides exploring ways to send astronauts to Mars, NASA is also revising its emergency plans for potential space disasters.
NASA states that Earth currently faces no known threats, however, it is crucial to detect asteroids before they pose a danger to us, according to planetary defense expert Dr. Kelly Fast.
NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office monitors the skies for this reason.
Ultimately, we hope humanity doesn't face the same fate as the dinosaurs.
NASA has provided all the details about preparation. Dr. Kelly Fast, an asteroid expert at NASA, discusses the potential outcomes if fiction turned into reality.
Dr Fast emphasized the importance of locating asteroids before they pose a threat to us, so we can take action before they do.
The only natural disaster that can be stopped is an asteroid hitting Earth.
CGI of an asteroid collision. (Getty Stock Image)
NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office aids in the exploration of asteroids and predicts their future paths.
If we find out about an asteroid collision years or decades before it happens, we could send a mission to deflect it. The main priority for planetary defense is to locate the asteroids.
In addition to detecting and destroying the danger, NASA would issue a warning to the country where the asteroid was expected to hit, followed by a global alert. The public must be notified about the danger and the United Nations informed.
Based on earlier information, if an asteroid was far away, people would try to change its path to avoid it hitting Earth. However, if it was less than five years away, the asteroid would need to be destroyed instead of redirected.
NASA HQ. (CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)
NASA successfully destroyed an asteroid in deep space during the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission in 2022.
Dr. Fast was discussing how we can assess our preparedness for potential asteroid impacts.
The scientific experiment, costing $324 million, determined the amount of momentum required to change the course of the asteroid if it were to collide head-on.
The DART spacecraft collided with the asteroid Dimorphos, a moon of the asteroid Didymos. Dimorphos was not a danger to Earth, as it was about 11 million kilometers away when it was hit.
The test was a huge success, reducing Didymos' orbit by 32 minutes instead of the 73 seconds it aimed for.
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Image / CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP via Getty Images
