NASA specialists, who joined the international group of arxiv scientists, proposed the idea of destroying asteroid 2024 YR4 with a nuclear strike before a possible collision with Earth or the Moon. According to the team's website, several scenarios are being considered on this topic.
Researchers suggested two paths. The first option is to change the asteroid's orbit, to change the direction of its movement. The second option is to strike with a powerful nuclear weapon. Scientists estimate that a nuclear weapon with a power of about one megaton could be enough to completely destroy the asteroid.
The final decision will be made at the end of 2028. At this time, 2024 YR4 will approach Earth, and the level of danger will be assessed once again.
The asteroid was identified in December 2024 and has a diameter of approximately 60 meters. According to him, the shape of the spatial object resembles not a potato, but a hockey puck. Moreover, it rotates at a very high speed - completing a full rotation around its axis every 20 minutes. According to researchers, it emerged from the main belt between Mars and Jupiter and is rich in silicate substances.
According to current estimates, the probability of 2024 YR4 hitting Earth is around 0.28 percent, and its collision with the Moon is around 4 percent.
In both cases, the consequences can be extremely negative. In a collision with the Earth, the force of the explosion is 2000 times stronger than the atomic impact in Hiroshima. If an asteroid strikes the Moon, then giant dust particles can disperse and destroy satellites, space telescopes, and space stations.
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