How to Save the Earth from an Asteroid: Insights for Astronomers

MOSCOW, July 17 – Only a missile with a nuclear warhead could save Earth from a large asteroid if such a body was detected moving in the direction of our planet a few days before the collision, Nikolai Zheleznov, senior researcher at the Institute of Applied Astronomy (IPA) of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told the News Agency.

At the same time, he described a highly unlikely scenario in which such a dangerous asteroid could be detected no later than the stage of its entry into the atmosphere. According to Zheleznov, observation of the sky and similar objects continues, so “it is unlikely that it will go that far.”

Meanwhile, modern technologies make it possible to launch a rocket at least half an hour after its detection, but only if it is stored in a state prepared for launch, the astronomer noted.