A catastrophic asteroid strike on Earth, similar to the one that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago, would have devastating consequences for our planet. The Chicxulub impactor, a six-mile-wide asteroid, caused widespread destruction, triggering tsunamis, earthquakes, and a cloud of hot dust that blocked out the sun and led to freezing temperatures.
Fortunately, NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office is working diligently to identify and track potentially hazardous asteroids in our solar system. The International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) collaborates with astronomers worldwide to detect and assess the risk of incoming asteroids.
In the event of a dangerous asteroid heading towards Earth, IAWN has procedures in place to notify the public and coordinate with governmental agencies. NASA and its partners have identified over 34,000 near-Earth asteroids and are constantly monitoring their orbits to predict any potential threats.
While the odds of a catastrophic asteroid impact are low, NASA is prepared to defend Earth if necessary. The agency has tested planetary defense techniques, including deflecting an asteroid’s orbit and using ion beams to alter its course.
Despite these efforts, NASA would need at least five to 10 years of advanced notice to effectively prevent an asteroid impact. If the threat was imminent, destruction might be the only option to minimize the impact.
Overall, the collaboration between NASA, IAWN, and other partners is crucial in ensuring the early detection and mitigation of potentially hazardous asteroids. By identifying these threats decades or even centuries in advance, there is a greater chance of preventing a catastrophic event on Earth.