NASA tracks a 4KM asteroid approach - Could end civilization if it hits!

AN ASTEROID big enough to end civilization should it ever hit will approach our planet in April, NASA's asteroid trackers have found.

The asteroid is being watched by NASA’s automated tracking systems at the Center for Near Earth Object Studies in California, US. The asteroid has been officially called 52768 (1998 OR2) and is estimated measure up 2.5 miles (4.1km) across.

An object this big could potentially spell the end of the human race if it strikes the planet.
NASA estimates the rock is heading our way at speeds of about 8.7km per second or 19,461mph (31,320kmh).

At this rate, the asteroid will close-in on Earth on April 29. When this happens, NASA said the asteroid will make a “close approach of about 4 million miles away” to our planet. According to the Planetary Society, an asteroid bigger than 0.6 miles (1km) across is big enough to threaten global destruction.

Astronomers estimate such objects have a one in 50,000 chance of hitting Earth every 100 years.
The Planetary Society lists the following impacts: “A crater of 10km or more: global devastation and possible collapse of civilization.”

Dr Bruce Betts from the international group of astronomers said: “Small asteroids – a few meters wide – hit frequently and burn up in the atmosphere and do little damage.

“Chelyabinsk size asteroids – about 20m that hit in 2013 – create shock waves that shatter windows and cause injuries.

“Tunguska sized – about 40m that hit Siberia in 1908 – could completely destroy a city or create a tsunami.

“Larger asteroids that hit on average less often could cause regional destruction.

“Even larger asteroids that hit even less frequently could cause a global catastrophe.”
The destructive potential of space rocks this big was also outlined in a 2018 report published by the US National Science and Technology Council.

The National Near-Earth Object Preparedness Strategy reads: “Objects close to and larger than one kilometer can cause damage on a global scale.

“They can trigger earthquakes, tsunamis, and other secondary effects that extend far beyond the immediate impact area.”

For comparison, the asteroid that is believed to have killed the dinosaurs measured about six miles (10km) across. Source: https://www.express.co.uk

A permanent base on the moon! Is that really needed?

A recent article by Space.com titled 'NASA Chief Wants to Send Humans to the Moon - 'To Stay' caught my interest. It was a lament on how the United States perhaps missed an opportunity. NASA administrator, Jim Bridenstine stated, “When you look back at history, look back at the end of the Apollo program, 1972 when we didn't go back to the moon... you look back and there was a period of time there after Apollo and before the space shuttles when we had a gap of human spaceflight capability," Bridenstine said. "And then you go forward and look at the retirement of the space shuttles in 2011, and now we're getting to the point where we're ready to fly commercial crew. We've got a gap of about eight years in our ability to fly crew into space.

"When we think about the [end of the] International Space Station, we want to make sure that a gap doesn't materialize," he said. "I believe it is important to do everything in our power to prevent another gap from occurring and that is why it is important to start this conversation now."

I fully agree with Mr. Bridenstine. I believe that having a permanent moon base will become of great strategic geopolitical importance, in the years and decades to come. If you question that statement, just imagine Russia or China with a base of their own up there... right over our heads...

Some time ago, I wrote a tongue-in-check blog called Welcome to Mooneyville.  Perhaps getting a few convicts up their, as a cheap labor force, might help reduce costs!