WASHINGTON, D.C. – The NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office has put in place a plan to alert the world’s population about a potential asteroid strike that could lead to a catastrophic event. The agency would provide early warnings to the eight billion people on the planet if a dangerous asteroid was hurtling towards Earth.
The goal of the Planetary Defense Coordination Office is to identify any potential threats well in advance. Recently, the office assured the public that Earth was not at risk on March 3 due to a projected 1 in 10 million chance of a collision.
Lindley Johnson, the Lead Program Executive for the Planetary Defense Coordination Office, emphasized the importance of detecting these threats early on. The office continuously monitors the approximately 2,300 known asteroids in the solar system, with a particular focus on the 150 that have the potential to cause an extinction event.
In the event of an impending doomsday impact, the International Asteroid Warning Network, a global coalition of astronomers, would be alerted. If the threat is confirmed, the situation would be escalated and appropriate measures would be taken.
It is also important to note that NASA has been testing different methods to potentially divert an asteroid’s course. The agency also aims to test the effectiveness of a “gravity tractor” technique, where a spacecraft would be deployed to shadow an asteroid and pull it out of orbit using gravity.
Despite these preparatory measures, it is essential to acknowledge that certain options would not be viable if an asteroid was detected less than five years before an impending impact. In addition, scientists have already identified a potential collision in 2182 involving an asteroid known as Bennu, which would have a 1 in 2,700 chance of colliding with Earth that year.
The efforts put in place by NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office and other agencies reflect the importance of long-term planning and monitoring to mitigate potential threats from space. These efforts are crucial in ensuring the safety and security of the planet in the face of potential astronomical hazards.