Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. In April, NASA awarded a $69 million contract to SpaceX, the space exploration company led by Elon Musk, to help it with asteroid deflection via its DART mission. Separately that month, the ESA announced that it was developing a self-driving craft for Hera. And new images of the asteroid make it appear as though it's wearing a face mask. In April, NASA awarded a $69 million contract to SpaceX, the space exploration company led by Elon Musk, to help it with asteroid deflection via its DART mission. The existing Open Comments threads will continue to exist for those who do not subscribe to Independent Premium. At the time Space X CEO Elon Musk echoed Bridenstine's statement when downplaying last August's asteroid. The current plan is for DART to launch aboard a SpaceX rocket in the middle of 2021, ultimately crashing into Didymoon toward the end of 2022.

NASA noted: "While this is known as a 'close approach' by astronomers... Republicans must hold the Senate in next week's general election - especially in the event that President Donald Trump l . NASA predicted the asteroid would be of concern when they first found it in 1998, saying it would be "large enough to cause global effects" alongside asteroid 1998 OH.

Market data provided by Factset. The ESA added: "Hera's up-close observations will turn asteroid deflection into a well-understood planetary defense technique." You can find our Community Guidelines in full here.

"But a big rock will hit Earth eventually and we currently have no defence.”. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? The object, known as Asteroid 1998 OR2, will get a little closer to Earth when it comes around again in 2079. The asteroid came within 3.9 million miles of the planet at 5:56 a.m. EDT, according to The Independent. “This is ultimately about protecting the only planet we know, right now, to host life.”. "Potentially hazardous" NEOs are defined as space objects that come within 0.05 astronomical units and measure more than 460 feet in diameter, according to the U.S. space agency. “This is not about Hollywood, it’s not about the movies,” he said. It's not often the Earth is at risk of being hit by a giant speeding asteroid from outer space. Follow Chris Ciaccia on Twitter @Chris_Ciaccia.

The asteroid, estimated to measure up to 1.2 miles across, came within 3.9 million miles (6.29 million km) of our planet today (April 29).Although … April 29 2020: Take, once again, the news of the end of the Earth has revealed.You must have read and heard such reports, claims hundreds of times. Please be respectful when making a comment and adhere to our Community Guidelines. All rights reserved. Something similar has come up this time too. You can also choose to be emailed when someone replies to your comment. American. NASA prepares for an asteroid 01:43.

Legal Statement. On April 29, an asteroid estimated to be 1.2 miles wide will fly by Earth, but it's not on a destructive path. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. or redistributed. Newsmax, Moneynews, Newsmax Health, and Independent. An asteroid, more than a mile wide, flew past Earth in a “close approach” Wednesday morning.

NASA's DART spacecraft is slated to collide with the smaller Didymoon asteroid, which orbits Didymos, sometime near the end of 2022.