NASA is reportedly considering using nuclear bombs to prevent asteroid 2024 YR4 from impacting the Moon. The asteroid, discovered in December last year, raised global concern due to its initial high probability of striking Earth in 2032.
Measuring between 53 and 67 meters in diameter, 2024 YR4 currently has a three per cent chance of hitting our planet. While later observations suggest an Earth impact is unlikely, scientists warn that a Moon collision could pose risks. An impact could produce lunar “ejecta,” sending dust and small rocks into lower Earth orbit, potentially endangering spacecraft and damaging spacesuits.
To mitigate the threat, NASA is evaluating two strategies: deflection and near-complete destruction. A DART-like mission to alter the asteroid’s path was considered but deemed impractical, as uncertainties about the asteroid’s exact mass could increase risks to astronauts.
The agency is now exploring the use of two 100-kiloton nuclear bombs, each five to eight times more powerful than those dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War Two. A second bomb would serve as a backup in case the first fails. According to researchers, a 1-megaton nuke, already available in the current nuclear arsenal, would be sufficient to destroy 2024 YR4.
Although humans have never tested a nuclear explosion in space specifically to destroy an asteroid, nuclear detonations have been conducted in space during the 1960s, providing some precedent for the technology. Scientists emphasise that the move is being considered to protect both the Moon and Earth from potential hazards posed by the asteroid.
The study highlights NASA’s proactive approach to planetary defense and the exploration of nuclear options for preventing celestial collisions that could have far-reaching consequences.
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