Latest news with #Apophis
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
'City killer' asteroid 2024 YR4 could shower Earth with 'bullet-like' meteors if it hits the moon in 2032
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. New simulations reveal that the infamous "city killer" asteroid 2024 YR4 could shower Earth with "bullet-like" debris if it hits the moon in seven years' time, potentially triggering an eye-catching meteor shower — and endangering the satellites that orbit our planet. 2024 YR4 is a potentially hazardous asteroid measuring roughly 200 feet (60 meters) across, making it large enough to wipe out a large urban area if it were to hit Earth head-on. It was first discovered in December 2024 but made headlines earlier this year when scientists first predicted that there was a chance it could smash into Earth on Dec. 22, 2032. The odds of a collision peaked at 3.1% in February, which was enough to prompt NASA to study it extensively. However, subsequent analysis revealed there is zero chance of it impacting our planet. But in April, researchers realized that, while Earth is no longer in the firing line, the space rock could still hit the moon. The odds of such a collision have grown slowly but steadily, and most recently jumped to 4.3% earlier this month. Experts will likely know the final likelihood by 2028, when the asteroid will make its next close approach to our planet. In a new study, uploaded June 12 to the preprint server arXiv, researchers ran computer simulations to model what a lunar impact might look like. The team estimated that up to 220 million pounds (100 million kilograms) of material could be ejected from the lunar surface. If 2024 YR4 hits the Earth-facing side of the moon — which is roughly a 50/50 chance — up to 10% of this debris could be pulled in by Earth's gravity over the following days, the scientists wrote. 2024 YR4 would be the largest space rock to hit the moon in "at least 5,000 years," study lead author Paul Wiegert, an expert in solar system dynamics at Western University in Ontario, Canada, who has also extensively studied the "God of Chaos" asteroid Apophis that will zip past Earth in 2029, told French news site AFP. The impact would be "comparable to a large nuclear explosion in terms of the amount of energy released," he added. Related: 'Just the tip of the iceberg': Why risky asteroids like 2024 YR4 will pester Earth for decades to come It is important to note that the new simulations (visible below) were created before the odds of a lunar impact rose from 3.8% to 4.3% on June 16, which slightly raises the chances of this scenario playing out. But it is still far from a certainty. The findings from the new study have also not yet been peer-reviewed. It is unlikely that any of the potential debris fragments will pose a risk to people on the planet's surface. Instead, we may be treated to a "spectacular" meteor shower as wayward fragments of rock burn up in Earth's atmosphere, which could last for several days and be seen by people across the globe, Weigert said. But while we will almost certainly be safe on the ground from any potential lunar meteor shower, our space-based infrastructure could be under threat. The amount of debris that could potentially be pulled close to Earth makes it around 1,000 times more likely that our satellites could be struck by a meteor. And by 2032, the number of spacecraft orbiting our planet is expected to rise significantly. "A centimeter-sized rock traveling at tens of thousands of meters per second is a lot like a bullet," Weigert said. Such an object could easily take out a satellite or cause critical damage to human-inhabited space stations, such as China's Tiangong station. (The International Space Station is scheduled to be decommissioned by 2030.) If the odds of a lunar impact increase further in the coming years, government agencies may make the decision to try and divert the asteroid's course to protect Earth's space assets. The asteroid would be a "good target" for testing our planetary defence capabilities, Weigert said. "I'm sure it will be considered." RELATED STORIES —An 'invisible threat': Swarm of hidden 'city killer' asteroids around Venus could one day collide with Earth, simulations show —No, NASA hasn't warned of an impending asteroid strike in 2038. Here's what really happened. —'Planet killer' asteroids are hiding in the sun's glare. Can we stop them in time? NASA already demonstrated its ability to redirect dangerous asteroids back in 2022, when it diverted the trajectory of the asteroid Dimorphos by slamming the DART probe into it. 2024 YR4 is only around half the size of that particular space rock. However, if we wait too long, it may become "dangerous" to try and alter the space rock's trajectory because a wrong move could put it onto a potentially catastrophic collision course with Earth, Weigert said. Some experts are also worried that the proposed cuts to NASA's budget by the Trump administration could make it harder to track dangerous asteroids, such as 2024 YR4, in the future.
NDTV
20-06-2025
- Science
- NDTV
'City-Killer' Asteroid May Hit Moon, Hurl Deadly Debris Toward Earth
NASA scientists now believe that asteroid 2024 YR4, once thought to pose a slight threat to Earth, may instead collide with the Moon in the coming years. New calculations suggest a 4.3% chance of impact in 2031. First detected on December 27, 2024, by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System in Hawaii, YR4 passed close to Earth just two days earlier. It orbits the Sun every four years. Recent observations in May 2025 from the James Webb Space Telescope estimate the asteroid's size between 174 and 220 feet (53-67 metres), roughly the height of a 10-storey building or the wingspan of a Boeing 747. Earlier estimates ranged from 131 to 295 feet. Data from NASA's Centre for Near Earth Object Studies at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory indicate the likelihood of the asteroid hitting the Moon has steadily risen from 1.7% in February to 3.8% in April, and now to 4.3%. If it does impact the Moon, it's expected to strike the near side, offering a rare chance for scientists to observe crater formation in real time. For now, YR4 is too distant to be tracked by telescopes. It will next approach Earth again in December 2028. "While an Earth impact by 2024 YR4 on December 22, 2032 has now been ruled out, it continues to have a non-zero probability of impacting the Moon at this time," the researchers wrote in their preliminary report, which has not yet been peer-reviewed. Asteroid 2024 YR4 is considered rare, once holding over a 1% impact probability-an extremely unusual threat level. NASA data suggests such an event would occur roughly once in 1,000 years. It's been compared to asteroid Apophis, which once ranked Level 4 on the Torino scale. Apophis will pass close to Earth in 2029, offering a rare visual encounter.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump's Budget for NASA Is Absolutely Horrifying
Earlier this year, the Trump administration revealed its proposed budget for NASA's fiscal year 2026, indicating brutal cuts of unprecedented proportions are coming. Now, the agency has released new data about the proposal, painting a dire picture of its future. As SpaceNews reports, the documents reveal that thousands of jobs would be cut, and dozens of science missions would be on the chopping block. The cuts — which would drag the budget to its lowest point since 1961, SpaceNews points out, when adjusted for inflation — would result in the firing of roughly one-third of all civil servants. The budget would also slash the space agency's science budget in almost half, "nothing short of an extinction-level event for space science and exploration in the United States," as Planetary Society chief of space policy Casey Dreier told Ars Technica in March. The extent of the proposed cuts is truly baffling, with the Trump administration basically looking to give up on space science altogether in favor of militarizing the Earth's orbit and sending humans to Mars. The so-called "skinny" budget would result in the cancellation of several key space exploration missions, including NASA's Mars Sample Return mission. Other Earth observation programs would also be ripped up, including missions to monitor the planet's gravity field or study tropical cyclones, per SpaceNews. The budget would also cancel planned missions to explore the surface of Mars, as well as existing operations such as OSIRIS-APEX, which is headed to an asteroid called Apophis. While NASA's next major landmark space observatory, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, wouldn't be entirely canceled, it would be allocated less than half of its previously outlined budget. Meanwhile, the space agency would be doubling down on establishing commercially funded ways to get to the Moon and Mars, highlighting the Trump administration's sometimes-cozy relationship with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, whose space company is bound to reap the benefits. The budget would clear up north of $1 billion for projects connected to sending humans to the Red Planet, indicating the president is willing to closely follow Musk's lead. The proposed 2026 fiscal year budget is now headed to Congress, where it's likely to meet ample opposition. "No one is eager to cut NASA science," Dreier told SpaceNews. "No one is out there openly defending and saying that this is a great idea." In short, if it were to make it through Congress unaltered — which is unlikely, since the agency is supported by many lawmakers — Trump's NASA budget could deal the country's leadership in space an existential blow, allowing adversaries, most notably China, to race ahead. "It sends a signal that America is stepping back from leadership in virtually every science area, including NASA," former NASA associate administrator for science John Grunsfeld told PBS. "The proposal for the NASA science budget is, in fact, cataclysmic for US leadership in science." "What we see is a full-scale assault on science in America," representative George Whitesides (D-CA) added. "It is probably the biggest attack on our scientific establishment in history." "It's a poorly wielded chainsaw," he added. More on NASA's budget: NASA Disgusted by Elon Musk's Disrespect
Time of India
02-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
NASA warns! 120-foot asteroid 2025 KX8 to make close approach to Earth on June 4; here's what to expect
Looking up at the sky can stir wonder—and sometimes, that awe is justified. A small asteroid is making a close approach to Earth, prompting careful monitoring by scientists. While there is no immediate threat, astronomers are tracking its path for any unexpected changes. This near-Earth object serves as a reminder of how active our solar system is and the importance of constant vigilance. Though this flyby will pass safely, it underscores the need for continued observation and research to better prepare for any future cosmic encounters that may pose a risk to our planet. Asteroid 2025 KX8 to have closest approach on June 4 NASA has officially announced the passage of asteroid 2025 KX8, which is due to have its closest approach to Earth on June 4, 2025. Estimated to be around 120 feet (about 36 meters) in diameter, the space rock is about the size of a small business jet. As it whizzes by, the asteroid will pass within 1.99 million kilometers (or roughly 1.24 million miles) of Earth. Although that sounds incredibly far, it's close astronomically speaking close enough to elicit active tracking by space agencies. Why scientists monitor near-Earth asteroids like 2025 KX8 Asteroid 2025 KX8 is classified under the Aten group, a group of near-Earth objects (NEOs) whose orbits take them through Earth's path. It is an important category of asteroid to track because their potential for orbital change in the future will enhance chances of collisions in the long run. Though models of trajectory at present indicate no danger of impact, scientists keep a watchful eye out. NASA defines objects as 'potentially hazardous' only if they are at least 150 meters in diameter and come within 7.4 million kilometers of Earth. Asteroid 2025 KX8 falls short on both counts, so it's safe according to present criteria—but still noteworthy from a scientific perspective. Small asteroids such as KX8, no matter how small they may be, would have the potential to inflict localized destruction should they ever enter Earth's atmosphere at some high velocity. Additionally, even a small change in its path resulting from gravitational perturbations or solar radiation would eventually alter its trajectory. That is why ongoing monitoring is important. ISRO prepares for future asteroid threats with global collaboration While KX8 poses no threat, space agencies worldwide are getting ready for more ominous situations. India's space agency, ISRO, is already gearing up for 2029, when a far larger asteroid Apophis is scheduled to make a very close pass by Earth. ISRO Chairman S. Somanath has highlighted the need for planetary defense. He has publicly indicated the threat posed by near-Earth objects and called for global collaboration. ISRO is considering collaboration with NASA, ESA, and JAXA to increase its surveillance capabilities. The agency is also working on future asteroid landing missions, whose goal would be to use as test sites for technologies that, in the future, might be employed to deflect or disrupt dangerous asteroids. These missions are part of a larger plan to minimize the potential effect of spaceborne threats. Also Read | Solar storm alert! Powerful G4-class geomagnetic activity expected on Earth after massive solar eruption on June 2
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Europe wants to land a tiny spacecraft on the infamous asteroid Apophis in 2029
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Once feared as a threat to Earth, the asteroid Apophis is now considered to pose a rare exploration opportunity — if space agencies can act in time. The 1,100-foot-wide (340 meters) Apophis, also known as asteroid 99942, is set to make a very close, but safe, flyby of Earth on April 13, 2029. The European Space Agency (ESA) is preparing its Ramses (Rapid Apophis Mission for Space Safety) mission for a 2028 launch in order to accompany the rocky body during its close approach. Ramses aims to conduct a before-and-after-flyby analysis of the asteroid and features such as its surface characteristics, composition, orbit and more. Apophis' gravitational interaction with Earth is expected to trigger tidal forces in the asteroid, potentially altering its surface and interior. Understanding how Apophis is affected will bring valuable insights for international planetary defense efforts. And now, ESA plans to add a second cubesat to the mission, to attempt a landing on Apophis. It has selected the Spanish company Emxys to lead the development of what is a demanding task. "Landing on an asteroid is very challenging," Paolo Martino, Ramses project manager, said in an ESA statement. "The irregular shape and surface properties make it difficult to identify a stable landing site, while the very weak gravity makes it hard to stay on the surface without bouncing off and drifting away." The main Ramses spacecraft will be a modified version of ESA's Hera probe, which is on its way to the binary asteroid system Didymos to assess the effects of NASA's 2022 DART (Double Asteroid Redirect Test) impact. Ramses' status is not secure, however, despite apparent momentum behind the mission, as it requires ESA member states to officially commit to financially backing the mission at the agency's Ministerial Council meeting in November this year. Another agency looking at launching a dedicated mission to track and study Apophis is NASA. Scientists at the Apophis T-4 Years Workshop held in Tokyo in April urged NASA to repurpose the shelved Janus spacecraft to make a pre-Earth-encounter investigation of Apophis. The agency, however, currently lacks the budget to carry out such a mission, according to reports. A May 19 SpaceNews story reported that Nicky Fox, NASA associate administrator for science, said that the agency is looking into possibilities for using Janus for an Apophis mission, but stated that these depend on budgets for fiscal year 2026 and beyond. The context for this is not favorable, however. The Trump administration's 2026 budget request, issued earlier this month, calls for very deep cuts to the NASA budget, hitting science particularly hard. A study into collaborating with non-traditional partners for the mission, meanwhile, was found to be not viable, also due to funding issues, SpaceNews reported. Related stories: — Apophis: The infamous asteroid we thought might hit us — Collisions could increase chance of 'God of Destruction' asteroid Apophis hitting Earth — Shelved NASA spacecraft could spy on asteroid Apophis before 2029 Earth flyby NASA will have at least one spacecraft visiting Apophis, however. The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, which collected samples from the asteroid Bennu and delivered them to Earth, is on an extended mission — named OSIRIS-APEX — and will arrive at Apophis roughly one month after the asteroid's Earth flyby. Another visit will be made to Apophis due to a delay to the launch of a Japanese mission. DESTINY+ was scheduled to launch this year to study the asteroid 3200 Phaethon, the parent of the Geminid meteor shower. However, issues with the development of Japan's Epsilon S rocket have seen a change of plans, pushing back launch to 2028, but also affording the opportunity to make a flyby of Apophis on its way. Scientists are calling for thorough Aphophis investigations beyond a mere flyby. "We recognize that the entire world will be watching how we collectively respond to the knowledge opportunity for planetary defense presented by the safe but very close Earth passage by the asteroid Apophis in April 2029," an Apophis T-4 workshop summary communique stated. It backed OSIRIS-APEX, DESTINY+ and Ramses, calling these the highest-priority missions for Apophis, which should be "fully funded and supported to ensure successful achievement of their science objectives." "We find that international collaborations and coordination are imperative for achieving Apophis 2029 science," the communique read, adding that time is of the essence for moving forward and funding missions.
