NASA has issued a warning for four more asteroids following the safe passage of a terrifying 150-foot wide big asteroid.
One Asteroid After Another
A giant 150-foot diameter asteroid just passed the Earth from up close. On the one hand, NASA is getting ready to launch the Artemis I spacecraft to prepare for a crewed flight test and future human lunar exploration.
According to NASA, an asteroid with the name of 2022 2031 came within 3.32 million miles of Earth today. Thankfully, this potentially dangerous asteroid did not threaten Earth, but it appears that this calm will not endure for very long. Following the passage of this asteroid by the Earth, NASA has warned about four additional asteroids speeding toward the planet.
Which of these asteroids is a threat to the planet Earth? How does NASA identify asteroids that could be dangerous? This is not to say that the smaller ones are not dangerous; they are, especially if they hit a crowded place like a city, according to a list shared by NASA.
According to the space agency, a potentially hazardous object or asteroid is a potentially hazardous object or asteroid larger than about 150 meters or 492-foot wide in size that approaches anywhere near Earth within 4.6 million miles or 7.5 million kilometers.
Also Read: New Algorithm Detected Over a Hundred Asteroids After Studying Old Telescope Data
Asteroids Heading Towards Earth
Asteroid 2022 RK: This is a 70-foot wide asteroid that will make its close approach towards the Earth tomorrow, September 4. NASA says that it will be as close as 2.24 million miles.
Asteroid 2022 QJ7: A 82-foot wide asteroid is set to make its closer appearance on September 5 within the distance of 3.52 million miles.
Asteroid 2022 Qu5: On September 5, another \97-foot wide asteroid will be. However, it is said to have the closest Earth approach of 4.57 million miles.
Asteroid 2022 QC7: Another dangerous asteroid, which will be 68-foot wide in size but said to have the closest approach of just 2.82 million miles from Earth.
Planetary Defense
The techniques for diverting near-Earth objects (NEO) away from Earth and away from probable collision courses with it are known as asteroid impact avoidance. According to the location of the impact, a sufficiently large asteroid or other NEO would produce massive tsunamis, numerous firestorms, and an impact winter due to the sunlight-obstructing effect of the large amounts of pulverized rock dust and other debris released into the stratosphere.
Early detection is essential for shielding the world from cosmic threats. At the 2021 Planetary Defense Conference, scientists recommended a minimum of five to 10 years' preparation time to mount a successful defense against hazardous asteroids.
There are four strategies to prevent a catastrophe if astronomers discover a hazardous asteroid. The first involves local emergency response and evacuation procedures. Another strategy would be to send a spacecraft to pass by a small or medium-sized asteroid; the gravity of the spacecraft would gradually alter the asteroid's orbit. We can either crash something into a larger asteroid at high speed or detonate a nuclear warhead nearby to alter its trajectory.
The planetary defense budget for NASA in 2021 was $158 million. This amounts to just 0.7% of NASA's overall budget and 0.02% of the estimated $700 billion US defense budget for 2021.
Related Article: NASA Plans to Deflect Asteroids to Defend the Planet from Cosmic Disaster
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