NASA studies plan to destroy asteroid with nuclear bombs before it can hit the Moon

[Alfonso Maruccia]

Let's bomb space: First discovered in December 2024, asteroid 2024 YR4 is drawing growing attention from the international space community. Scientists are now exploring options to address this potential extraterrestrial hazard, and we might even see reality take cues from fiction with the prospect of a nuclear bombing mission in space.

Is NASA really planning an Armageddon-style mission near the Moon's orbit? The US space agency, together with astronomers around the world, is considering the best way to neutralize any potential threat asteroid 2024 YR4 could pose to Earth. And yes, scientists are seriously contemplating destroying the massive space rock with nuclear bombs.

When it was first discovered, 2024 YR4 was estimated to have a probability greater than one percent of impacting Earth on 22 December 2032. With a diameter between 53 and 67 meters, the asteroid could have caused a disaster rivaling the 1908 Tunguska event. Subsequent observations confirmed that 2024 YR4 is unlikely to hit Earth (Torino rating 0) but could still leave a mark on the Moon's surface in 2032.

The chance of the asteroid impacting the Moon a few years from now is currently estimated at four percent. Scientists warn that even this slim probability could have detrimental effects, such as debris clouds damaging satellites in low Earth orbit. To reduce the impact risk to zero, they are considering three approaches: further reconnaissance, deflection, or near-complete obliteration of the asteroid.

According to a new study awaiting peer review, theoretical missions could be launched at different times over the coming years. Asteroid 2024 YR4 is expected to require more planning and resources than the DART mission, which successfully altered an asteroid's orbit for the first time in history.

A DART-like deflection mission for 2024 YR4 was considered, the scientists said, but ultimately deemed impractical. Adjusting the asteroid's orbit alone would likely be insufficient, as its exact size and mass remain uncertain. Instead, a proposal involving nuclear explosive devices is now being seriously evaluated.

The researchers are proposing to launch two nuclear devices, with each "shipment" comprising a 100-kiloton bomb. Each bomb would be five to eight times more powerful than the US bombs that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. Two bombs would be used to hedge against the possibility that the first device malfunctions or fails to achieve its objective.

The scientists caution that these mission concepts are being studied while the probability of impact remains at four percent. The next launch window for the nuclear option is expected between 2029 and 2031, although plans could change significantly over the coming years.

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NASA studies plan to destroy asteroid with nuclear bombs before it can hit the Moon

 

[NumberNine]

Always itching to let off a nuke. This is a fascinating topic though because the Earth needs the moon. It's a two body system.
Without it... oh boy, let's just say we never want to be without the moon. We wouldn't be around for very long.

 

[wiyosaya]

Maybe a good plan, but could lead to something worse if it does not go as expected.

Always itching to let off a nuke. This is a fascinating topic though because the Earth needs the moon. It's a two body system.
Without it... oh boy, let's just say we never want to be without the moon. We wouldn't be around for very long.

Are you thinking that an impact of this asteroid with the Moon will destroy it? That outcome was not mentioned in the article, and its a physical impossibility that an impact of this spec of dust, relative to the size of the Moon, with the moon would destroy the Moon. At most, an impact of this spec of dust with the moon will produce some spectacular fireworks, but such an impact would not destroy the Moon.

Since there is such a low chance that the asteroid is a threat to Earth, I think that destroying it with nukes would be a proof of concept mission to validate such an approach on an asteroid that does threaten Earth.

 

[GeoffreyA]

It actually reminds me more of "Sunshine," where there were two ships and payloads, the first ship having failed.

 

[antiproduct]

We like the Moon
'Cause it is close to us
We like the
MOON
But not as much as a spoon...

 

[GodisanAtheist]

We recently managed an asteroid landing yeah? Why not land/drill into the asteroid with a thruster and simply push the astroid out of the way (or maybe even push an incoming asteroid into the moon or use the moon's gravity to slingshot out of earth's gravity well).

 

[RudyBob]

"Armageddon" One of my favorite movies. I thoroughly enjoyed Steve Buscemi's character. Lev was cool too.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

We recently managed an asteroid landing yeah? Why not land/drill into the asteroid with a thruster and simply push the astroid out of the way (or maybe even push an incoming asteroid into the moon or use the moon's gravity to slingshot out of earth's gravity well).

Because changing the trajectory of a stellar body, even a small asteroid, take a ****LOAD of energy. So unless you are planting enough fuel tanks to cover the entire surface of said asteroid and 100 saturn V rocket engines, you are accomplishing nothing.

This tiny asteroid is traveling at 30,000 MPH and has a mass that is estimated, on the high end, of roughly 711 MILLION KG. The relative thrust of a rocket engine you could conceivably land on said asteroid would be like trying to stop a loaded speeding freight train with a skateboard.

The nuke option would blast the asteroid into many small bits, most of which could burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere.

We know how bad this can be. There was an event in 2013 where a meteoroid exploded over a populated area

Chelyabinsk meteor - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

1,200 people injured from the blast wave. That was half a megaton. This one would be roughly 8 megatons.

 

[j4ni1]

Because changing the trajectory of a stellar body, even a small asteroid, take a ****LOAD of energy. So unless you are planting enough fuel tanks to cover the entire surface of said asteroid and 100 saturn V rocket engines, you are accomplishing nothing.

This tiny asteroid is traveling at 30,000 MPH and has a mass that is estimated, on the high end, of roughly 711 MILLION KG. The relative thrust of a rocket engine you could conceivably land on said asteroid would be like trying to stop a loaded speeding freight train with a skateboard.

The nuke option would blast the asteroid into many small bits, most of which could burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere.

We know how bad this can be. There was an event in 2013 where a meteoroid exploded over a populated area

Chelyabinsk meteor - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

1,200 people injured from the blast wave. That was half a megaton. This one would be roughly 8 megatons.

You dont need to stop it. A very small change in in the direction of its velocity is sufficient to change the trajectory so that it misses Earth.

 

[WaphleStomp]

Utterly ridiculous; when a gentle push in any direction is all which is required to adjust its trajectory one has to wonder what's behind the real reason for using a bomb in an attempt to move a body.
Like satellites in orbit around the Earth with the ability to adjust their orbits higher, lower, faster, slower, send a small package to the object with the ability to move it likewise.
The notion to use bombs for such a purpose is truly foolish.