<p>Could we be staring at a scenario where humanity knows that an asteroid has a high chance of impact but no one is able to do anything despite having years to act against it? Something similar was revealed in the summary NASA released after conducting a hypothetical asteroid impact “tabletop” exercise to understand how any likely asteroid impact scenario can be averted. The space agency created a hypothetical asteroid and created possible scenarios around it to see what would need to be done in case something like this became a reality. Nearly 100 people from the United States government agencies participated in the exercise, along with international planetary defence experts.</p>

<p>NASA then released a summary of the exercise which revealed the shocking reality of such a scenario. While NASA has been working to avert any such disaster, participants in the summary pointed out the main problem they might face if an asteroid impact becomes likely.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The simulation had an asteroid with a 72 per cent chance of hitting Earth in 2038, impacting North America, Southern Europe, and North Africa. It later moves too close to the Sun and it isn't possible to study it for another seven months. What do you do in this case, the participants were to decode.</p>

<p>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-rover-to-dig-in-and-solve-the-mystery-of-magnetised-swirls-on-the-moon-737688">What are lunar swirls hiding? NASA to dig in and find out</a></p>

<p>Lindley Johnson, a NASA planetary defense officer emeritus, said in a press release, that an asteroid impact is the only natural disaster man has the technology to predict. However, despite having 14 years in hand, it might be tough to take action due to one major factor.</p>

<h2><strong>Hurdle to taking action against an asteroid</strong></h2>

<p>Participants seemed to think that politics might get in the way of action. Something similar unfolded in Leonardo DiCaprio's film Don't Look Up! Johnson says that one of the biggest topics of discussion was how to prove to the leaders that the situation is serious enough to warrant action.</p>

<p>The NASA summary carries anonymous comments, one of which reads, "I know what I would prefer [to do], but Congress will tell us to wait."</p>

<p>Another participant points out that "the political nature of the decision-making" was the most important item of the discussion. They discovered that even if they were technologically ready, they might not be able to launch an anti-asteroid offensive. The participants believed that funding might not be approved by the leaders&nbsp;unless the impact is completely certain to happen.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Besides, 14 years means multiple governments and changing policies, making it harder to stay on track and continue with the anti-asteroid plan, especially since the hypothetical asteroid in this case moved near the sun and still has a 28 per cent chance of not hitting Earth.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Could we be staring at a scenario where humanity knows that an asteroid has a high chance of impact but no one is able to do anything despite having years to act against it?

Could we be staring at a scenario where humanity knows that an asteroid has a high chance of impact but no one is able to do anything despite having years to act against it? Something similar was revealed in the summary NASA released after conducting a hypothetical asteroid impact “tabletop” exercise to understand how any likely asteroid impact scenario can be averted. The space agency created a hypothetical asteroid and created possible scenarios around it to see what would need to be done in case something like this became a reality. Nearly 100 people from the United States government agencies participated in the exercise, along with international planetary defence experts. NASA then released a summary of the exercise which revealed the shocking reality of such a scenario. While NASA has been working to avert any such disaster, participants in the summary pointed out the main problem they might face if an asteroid impact becomes likely. The simulation had an asteroid with a 72 per cent chance of hitting Earth in 2038, impacting North America, Southern Europe, and North Africa. It later moves too close to the Sun and it isn't possible to study it for another seven months. What do you do in this case, the participants were to decode. Also Read: What are lunar swirls hiding? NASA to dig in and find out Lindley Johnson, a NASA planetary defense officer emeritus, said in a press release, that an asteroid impact is the only natural disaster man has the technology to predict. However, despite having 14 years in hand, it might be tough to take action due to one major factor. Hurdle to taking action against an asteroid Participants seemed to think that politics might get in the way of action. Something similar unfolded in Leonardo DiCaprio's film Don't Look Up! Johnson says that one of the biggest topics of discussion was how to prove to the leaders that the situation is serious enough to warrant action. The NASA summary carries anonymous comments, one of which reads, "I know what I would prefer [to do], but Congress will tell us to wait." Another participant points out that "the political nature of the decision-making" was the most important item of the discussion. They discovered that even if they were technologically ready, they might not be able to launch an anti-asteroid offensive. The participants believed that funding might not be approved by the leaders unless the impact is completely certain to happen. Besides, 14 years means multiple governments and changing policies, making it harder to stay on track and continue with the anti-asteroid plan, especially since the hypothetical asteroid in this case moved near the sun and still has a 28 per cent chance of not hitting Earth.

NASA simulation shows that only an asteroid 100% certain to hit Earth would lead to real action

<p>A large asteroid whose orbit crosses that of Earth has been discovered by astronomers. The crossing of the orbits opens a tiny window for a catastrophic collision far in the future. The 1.5 kilometer- (0.9 mile-) wide asteroid has been named 2022 AP7. The discovery was made in an area that beats visibility due to the glare from the Sun. The findings were published in the scientific journal The Astronomical Journal.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Victor M. Blanco telescope in Chile, that was originally developed to study dark matter, found the asteroid along with two other near-Earth asteroids.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/asteroid-struck-by-nasa-probe-leaves-a-10000-km-trail-in-its-wake-522817">Asteroid struck by NASA spacecraft leaves a 10,000 km trail in its wake</a></p>

<p>"2022 AP7 crosses Earth’s orbit, which makes it a potentially hazardous asteroid, but it currently does not now or anytime in the future have a trajectory that will have it collide with the Earth," said lead author of the findings, astronomer Scott Sheppard of the Carnegie Institution for Science.</p>

<p>"It is the largest object that is potentially hazardous to Earth to be discovered in the last eight years," said NOIRLab, a US-funded research group that operates multiple observatories.</p>

<p>2022 AP7 takes five years to circle the Sun under its current orbit, which at its closest point to Earth remains several million kilometers away. This is why the risk is small, but if a collision happens, an asteroid of that size "would have a devastating impact on life as we know it," said Sheppard.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The dust launched into the air would have a major cooling effect, provoking an "extinction event like hasn’t been seen on Earth in millions of years", he added.</p>

<p>Astronomers have discovered at least 30,000 asteroids near the Earth, and have named them "Near Earth Objects" (NEOs). None of them threaten Earth for the next 100 years. Sheppard says there are "likely 20 to 50 large NEOs left to find," and most of them are on orbits that put them in the Sun's glare.</p>

<p>In September, NASA had collided a spacecraft with an asteroid in a bid to change its trajectory. The test mission was a preparation for any such situation where an&nbsp;asteroid might threaten the Earth.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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A large asteroid whose orbit crosses that of Earth has been discovered by astronomers. The crossing of the orbits opens a tiny window for a catastrophic collision far in the future.

A large asteroid whose orbit crosses that of Earth has been discovered by astronomers. The crossing of the orbits opens a tiny window for a catastrophic collision far in the future. The 1.5 kilometer- (0.9 mile-) wide asteroid has been named 2022 AP7. The discovery was made in an area that beats visibility due to the glare from the Sun. The findings were published in the scientific journal The Astronomical Journal. The Victor M. Blanco telescope in Chile, that was originally developed to study dark matter, found the asteroid along with two other near-Earth asteroids. Also Read | Asteroid struck by NASA spacecraft leaves a 10,000 km trail in its wake "2022 AP7 crosses Earth’s orbit, which makes it a potentially hazardous asteroid, but it currently does not now or anytime in the future have a trajectory that will have it collide with the Earth," said lead author of the findings, astronomer Scott Sheppard of the Carnegie Institution for Science. "It is the largest object that is potentially hazardous to Earth to be discovered in the last eight years," said NOIRLab, a US-funded research group that operates multiple observatories. 2022 AP7 takes five years to circle the Sun under its current orbit, which at its closest point to Earth remains several million kilometers away. This is why the risk is small, but if a collision happens, an asteroid of that size "would have a devastating impact on life as we know it," said Sheppard. × The dust launched into the air would have a major cooling effect, provoking an "extinction event like hasn’t been seen on Earth in millions of years", he added. Astronomers have discovered at least 30,000 asteroids near the Earth, and have named them "Near Earth Objects" (NEOs). None of them threaten Earth for the next 100 years. Sheppard says there are "likely 20 to 50 large NEOs left to find," and most of them are on orbits that put them in the Sun's glare. In September, NASA had collided a spacecraft with an asteroid in a bid to change its trajectory. The test mission was a preparation for any such situation where an asteroid might threaten the Earth. (With inputs from agencies)

Asteroid capable of having a 'devastating impact on life' on Earth discovered

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NASA simulation shows that only an asteroid 100% certain to hit Earth would lead to real action

Asteroid capable of having a 'devastating impact on life' on Earth discovered