NASA's Infrared Telescope to Combat Dangerous Space Rocks Set for 2028 Launch

Asteroid Impact Concerns and NASA's Defence Tactics

An asteroid with a 72% chance of colliding with Earth on July 12, 2038, has been identified by NASA during its fifth planetary defence interagency tabletop exercise. Over 100 participants from global bodies such as the UN, European Space Agency, and UK Space Agency were part of this exercise where strategies were discussed to address a major asteroid impact scenario.

Given the potentially catastrophic impact, concerns have been raised about how prepared we are to handle such events and whether global leaders will be able to effectively collaborate towards a solution in time.

NASA's OSIRIS-REx Mission

In September last year, NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission successfully returned samples of an asteroid, named Bennu, to Earth. Currently, this asteroid has about a 1 in 2,700 chance of colliding with our planet on September 24, 2182.

Telescopic Defence against Dangerous Space Rocks

NASA's new Near-Earth Object (NEO) surveyor mission, equipped with a powerful infrared telescope, is preparing to monitor dangerous space rocks and is expected to launch in 2028. This mission forms a critical part of NASA's broader strategy to safeguard Earth from potential asteroid impacts.

While there are worries about a lack of disaster management plans for survivors in the event of an asteroid strike, NASA has gained some traction with its Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission, which demonstrated our ability to deflect an asteroid. This mission, despite creating several smaller asteroids that may eventually hit Mars, represents a step forward in our defense against such threatening space rocks.

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