As if it were a Hollywood movie, the US already devised a plan to destroy a possible asteroid or any other threat that approaches Earth and endangers humanity.
According to NASA, there is a possibility that the asteroid Bennu could hit the Earth in September of the year 2135, causing considerable damage to it. Since 2016, NASA has been tracking and conducting various studies at Bennu, using the robotic space probe OSIRIS-REx, with which it will be possible to collect samples of the asteroid, calculate its composition, trajectory and movement of it. The full study and analysis is expected to be completed in September 2023, the date on which the return of the probe to Earth is estimated.
According to scientists, the asteroid is 500 meters in diameter and travels at a speed of 100,000 km / h, its size is compared to several emblematic buildings such as the Empire State. It is believed that the asteroid is about 4500 million years old and its surface may contain evidence about the origin of the Earth.
That is why the space agency has designed a plan to build a ship that neutralizes this threat. This spacecraft will weigh around 8.8 tons, will be called HAMMER (Hypervelocity Asteroid Mission for Emergency Response) and will be developed in collaboration with a security body of the US government and a weapons laboratory.
Scientists consider several theories in case of the approach of the asteroid: In case of being small rocks, these can be crushed by the "impactor" of HAMMER; but for large rocks HAMMER would use a nuclear bomb. Another option they have taken into account is that several HAMMER ships could be thrown in front of the asteroid to stop it and change its course.
The encounter between the asteroid and the planet Earth is calculated to occur in 117 years and, for now, the project is in the planning stage and does not yet have an estimated construction budget. Until it could not be built due to several limitations, including the cost, however the scientists of this project say that it is better to be safe than sorry.