NASA considers asteroid impact with Earth

William Atkins
Thursday, 09 September 2010 22:26

Science - Space

After two asteroids just missed hitting Earth on Wednesday, September 8, 2010, NASA continues to look into better techniques at identifying near-Earth objects (NEOs), such as asteroids. A NASA panel is considering ways to protect our home planet from such impacts.

 

The NASA Ad-Hoc Task Force on Planetary Defense, which is co-chaired by Dr. Tom D. Jones and Rusty Schweickart, both former astronauts at NASA, is considering how to best to identify asteroids that travel close to Earth (or near-Earth asteroids, NEAs), along with other such near-Earth objects (NEOs).

This NASA group is highlighted on the day after two NEAs missed hitting Earth by less than the distance between the Moon and the Earth.

Additional information on these two asteroids is found on the September 8, 2010 iTWire article 'Asteroids 2010 RX30 and 2010 RF12 coming close to Earth.'

The iTWire article, which was written before the asteroids passed by Earth, begins by stating, 'NASA announced that two asteroids will pass inside the orbit of the Moon on Wednesday, September 8, 2010. NASA reassures everyone there is a 0% chance that either will hit us.'

After the events occurred, the Telegraph.co.uk article 'Two large asteroids narrowly miss earth, Nasa says' shows the path these asteroids took over the past day or so as they approached Earth and sped past Earth.

The article goes on to state, 'While they were visible to many amateur stargazers, space agency researchers said neither asteroid posed a risk to earth.'

However, 'Experts, however, said the 'double-whammy' served as a reminder of other potentially hazardous objects expected to narrowly miss Earth in coming years.'

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