NASA has shared its plans for what to do if an asteroid is hurtling towards us. There are countless movies, TV series and stories about what the end of the world might look like, and each one ends differently.
NASA UNVEILS ITS PLAN FOR THE END OF THE WORLD
Moving away from fictional depictions, experts have explained what could be done in a possible end of the world scenario.
According to planetary defense expert Dr. Kelly Fast, NASA's plan for the end of the world starts with trying to stop it altogether.
THE ONLY PREVENTABLE NATURAL DISASTER
Dr. Fast said that NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office monitors the skies and that we need to find asteroids before they find us.
Asteroid impact is the only natural disaster that can be prevented, Dr. Fast said.
WHAT IS THE WARNING PLAN?
In 2021, NASA crashed an unmanned spacecraft into a small asteroid, successfully testing the DART asteroid away from Earth.
But if NASA can't save the day by launching the asteroid away from us, it also has a plan for how it will warn us of an impending threat.
The warning will come with the help of a global coalition of astronomers called the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN), which will begin by verifying its findings and assessing the danger.
Then, NASA will send a warning to the White House, after which the government will make a public statement.
Lindley Johnson, Chief Program Manager of the Planetary Defense Coordination Office, said: "There is no red phone on my desk. But we have formal procedures to ensure that a serious impact is reported."
If the threat is international, IAWN will notify the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs.
If NASA detects an interaction just a few months before impact, it would be too late to save Earth.
But as long as NASA is aware of fast-moving objects in space well in advance, it could obviate the need for public warnings.
