Due to the asteroids technique from the daytime sky, it was not detected prior to effect, serving as a tip that while there are no known asteroid hazards to Earth for the next century, an Earth effect by an unidentified asteroid could take place at any time.
Coincidentally, settlements sponsored by the United Nations were settling official recommendations for the establishment of Planetary Defense-related worldwide cooperations– the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) and the Space Missions Planning Advisory Group (SMPAG)– when the Chelyabinsk impact took place. The PDCO also funds observatories around the world through NASAs Near-Earth Object (NEO) Observations Program to discover and characterize NEOs– asteroids and comets that come within 30 million miles of Earth– with a specific focus on finding asteroids 460 feet (140 meters) and bigger that represent the most serious impact dangers to Earth.
In 2022, interacting with the Italian Space Agency, NASAs Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission successfully showed the worlds first-ever test for deflecting an asteroids orbit. Released in 2021, DART effectively collided with a known asteroid– which postured no effect danger to Earth– showing one method of asteroid deflection technology utilizing a kinetic impactor spacecraft. Considering that DARTs effect, Planetary Defense professionals have been continuing to analyze data returned from the objective to better understand its shown impacts on the asteroid, which contributes to the understanding of how a kinetic impactor spacecraft could be used to resolve an asteroid effect risk in the future if the need ever occurred.
The Chelyabinsk impact was a stimulate that ignited global discussion in Planetary Defense, and much progress in the field has actually happened since then. There is still more work to be done, and NASA is actively at the forefront. In addition to developing NASAs NEO Surveyor to find the rest of the population of asteroids that could posture a risk to Earth, the agency is thinking about a “fast response reconnaissance” capability to be able to rapidly obtain a more comprehensive characterization of a dangerous asteroid once it is found. NASA is likewise thinking about sending out a reconnaissance spacecraft to study an asteroid making a close method to Earth in 2029.
” An accident of a NEO with Earth is the only natural catastrophe we now know how mankind might totally avoid,” said NASA Planetary Defense Officer Lindley Johnson. “We must keep looking for what we understand is still out there, and we should continue to research study and test Planetary Defense technologies and abilities that could one day protect our planets occupants from a disastrous event.”
Asteroid “Chelyabinsk 2013” takes off over the city of Chelyabinsk, Russia on February 15, 2013. Credit: The Planetary Society/YouTube
On February 15, 2013, the individuals of Chelyabinsk, Russia, experienced a shocking occasion, and yet it was a little portion of the devastation an asteroid on a collision course with Earth might yield. As NASAs Planetary Defense experts reflect on the Chelyabinsk impact 10 years back, they likewise look forward to the future and all that the company has given that accomplished in the field of Planetary Defense.
Harmless meteoroids, and in some cases small asteroids, effect our planets atmosphere daily. When they do, they break down and develop meteors or “shooting stars” and sometimes brilliant fireballs or bolides. Such was the case on February 12 when a really little asteroid impacted Earths environment over Northern France not long after discovery, resulting in a magnificent light show for regional observers. Far more seldom, a larger asteroid that is still too small to reach the ground undamaged, yet big enough to launch substantial energy when it breaks down, can do considerable damage to the ground.
On February 15, 2013, one such bolide event amassed international attention when a house-sized asteroid impacted Earths environment over Chelyabinsk, Russia, at a speed of eleven miles per 2nd and blew up 14 miles above the ground. The surge was comparable to 440,000 heaps of TNT, and the resulting air blast blew out windows over 200 square miles, damaged buildings, and hurt over 1,600 people– mainly due to damaged glass. Due to the asteroids method from the daytime sky, it was not discovered prior to effect, functioning as a suggestion that while there are no recognized asteroid hazards to Earth for the next century, an Earth impact by an unknown asteroid might happen at any time.
The PDCO also funds observatories around the world through NASAs Near-Earth Object (NEO) Observations Program to discover and identify NEOs– asteroids and comets that come within 30 million miles of Earth– with a particular focus on discovering asteroids 460 feet (140 meters) and bigger that represent the most serious impact dangers to Earth. Released in 2021, DART effectively clashed with a known asteroid– which positioned no effect risk to Earth– showing one approach of asteroid deflection technology using a kinetic impactor spacecraft. Since DARTs effect, Planetary Defense experts have been continuing to analyze data returned from the objective to better comprehend its demonstrated effects on the asteroid, which contributes to the understanding of how a kinetic impactor spacecraft could be utilized to deal with an asteroid effect hazard in the future if the requirement ever arose.
