For decades, asteroid mining has been the stuff of science fiction. But with private start-ups sending spacecraft into deep space and investors calling it the next trillion-dollar industry, the idea of extracting metals and minerals from space rocks is edging closer to reality.
The asteroid that once worried scientists for Earth is now targeting the moon and could strike in 2032.
Over the past year, 162 asteroids flew closer to Earth than the Moon. NASA and ESA warn only 40% of dangerous objects have been identified, with one asteroid posing a small risk of hitting the Moon in 2032.
Asteroid 2024 YR4 has a very small chance of hitting Earth, as new observations showed that it has been downgraded to "No Hazard" Level on the Torino impact scale, a tool for categorizing the impact hazard associated with near-Earth objects such as asteroids and comets.
NASA has raised the probability of asteroid 2024 YR4 striking Earth in 2032 to 3.1%, making it the most threatening space rock recorded in modern forecasting. While the risk is still low, experts emphasize the need for continued monitoring.
The risk of an asteroid impact on Earth has doubled within a week, though there are currently no plans to build a deflection spacecraft for the 90-metre-wide space rock.
China has launched a planetary defense team to address the potential threat of asteroid 2024 YR4, which has a 2.2% chance of impact in 2032. Led by SASTIND, the initiative focuses on asteroid tracking and impact prevention, marking China's growing role in global space defense efforts.
NASA's asteroid samples have revealed organic compounds, including amino acids and nucleobases. Scientists say these findings are proof that asteroids may have helped seed early Earth.
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