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An asteroid that was previously on a collision course with Earth is now headed towards the moon. A team of NASA researchers has an extreme solution: blast it with nukes before it makes contact. Here’s why the scientists are proposing this violent tactic.
The “City Killer” Asteroid
The asteroid was named 2024 YR4 and became widely known when it appeared that the asteroid had a high chance of colliding with Earth. It was first reported in December of 2024 and was dubbed a “city killer” due to its high risk of collision.
Previously Threat to Earth
NASA uses a Sentry Impact Risk Table to assess the likelihood of objects entering Earth’s orbit and potential collision situations. In early 2025, Asteroid 2024 YR4 was the only space object with any chance of hitting Earth, and the probability of impact rose to a record-breaking 3.1%, which initially concerned scientists.
A New Destination and a New Threat
By February of 2025, Scientists had concluded enough studies of the object to assert that the risk of collision with our planet had significantly decreased to almost nothing. Now, however, it appears the asteroid is on a trajectory towards the moon, which could have dire consequences.
Why Scientists are Concerned
The asteroid is approximately 300 feet long, which is the size of a 10-story building. Its sheer size and rate of movement are what concern scientists about its impact. It is the reason that when it was hurling towards Earth, it gained the name “city killer” as it had the ability to wipe out an entire city.
Odds of Impact Increase
Concern among astronomers is increasing as the odds of the asteroid making contact with the moon keep rising. According to NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies, the odds of the asteroid making contact increased from 1.7% to 3.8% in one month and then increased again to 4.3%.
What Happens if a Collision Occurs?
If the asteroid were to hit the moon, there are several worrisome potential consequences. For one, the large impact could shake so much debris into the atmosphere that it would disturb Earth’s satellites. Thankfully, however, NASA has confirmed that the impact would not be able to alter the moon’s orbit around our planet.
Why an Extreme Solution is Needed
While it may sound extreme, nuclear weapons may be the best solution to save the moon from impact. At the current trajectory, there would not be enough time to gather critical information about the asteroid (like its exact weight) and build a spacecraft that would successfully knock the asteroid off its current trajectory.
Nuclear Weapons May Be the Solution
Launching a blast of nuclear bombs at the asteroid would not require as much exact calculation to make an impact and disturb the asteroid’s trajectory. The researchers argue that this would take much less time, and at the current trajectory, scientists will need to take action between 2029 and 2031.
Proof of Concept
While nuclear weapons may be necessary to completely destroy this asteroid, NASA did perform a test in 2022 that showed that it was, in fact, possible to “redirect” an asteroid off of its current course. The test was called DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test), and it involved running a spacecraft into the asteroid to nudge it off its course.
Looking Forward
NASA scientists and other astronomers are continuing to work together to assess the threat level and best solution to throw the asteroid off course if it continues to hurtle towards the moon. Thankfully, there is no longer a threat of collision with Earth at this time.