Researchers examine scenarios Nuclear bombs against the moon asteroid 2024 YR4?
An asteroid is heading in our direction and could hit the moon in 2032. Researchers are now even considering the use of nuclear bombs in space.
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- The asteroid named 2024 YR4 could hit the moon on December 22, 2032.
- According to NASA, the chance of this happening is around four percent and there is no danger to Earth.
- However, researchers warn that an impact could hurl debris into space, endangering satellites and the space station.
- The use of nuclear explosives is even being discussed as a possible defense, while NASA continues to monitor the asteroid.
A newly discovered asteroid is currently causing a stir among astronomers: The object with the designation 2024 YR4 could collide with the moon on December 22, 2032. According to NASA, the probability of this happening is currently around four percent. As things stand, there is no danger to Earth.
The asteroid was detected with the Atlas telescope in Chile at the end of 2024. Measurements with the James Webb Space Telescope show: It is between 53 and 67 meters in size, which is roughly equivalent to a 15-storey building.
If such a chunk were to fall to earth, it could devastate an entire city. But this scenario has now been ruled out.
What if the moon is hit?
Several research teams, including NASA scientists, have calculated the possible consequences. Their conclusion: a collision could create a debris field that would endanger satellites in Earth orbit or even the International Space Station (ISS).
A nuclear "disruption strike" is therefore also being discussed as a defensive measure - i.e. the complete destruction of the asteroid by an explosion. However, this also carries risks: "If the blast is not powerful enough, it will still create a dangerous debris field," Julie Brisset from the Florida Space Institute told NBC News.
The results were published in mid-September in a preliminary scientific paper. They have not yet been peer-reviewed.
NASA is monitoring the situation
A gentle deflection, as with NASA's DART 2022 mission, is hardly feasible in the case of 2024 YR4. There is a lack of data on mass and composition - and time would be short for an exploratory mission. The most conceivable scenario is therefore complete destruction, in extreme cases even with two nuclear explosive devices.
Officially, NASA is cautious. A defense mission is not planned, explained Kelly Fast, head of the Planetary Defense Office. However, they want to observe the asteroid again from 2026 using the James Webb telescope. New data could make its orbit more precise - and possibly reduce the probability of impact to zero.
