A large asteroid will fly past Earth and the Moon in 2032. There is a low chance it could even collide. NASA has released a possible solution that involves the use of nuclear weapons.
What asteroid is this? The asteroid 2024 YR4 was first discovered in December 2024 by the “Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System” (ATLAS) and has been tracked since then. In February 2025, NASA announced that it does not pose a significant threat to Earth in 2032 and beyond (science.nasa.gov).
However, in June 2025, the chances of a collision with the Moon rose to 4.3%. Therefore, NASA has developed a possible strategy that involves hitting the asteroid with a nuclear weapon. Just like in the movie Armageddon from 1998, this is very likely not how it will actually happen, but NASA already has a concrete plan.
What is the plan? On September 15, 2025, a document was published outlining some strategies for defending against the asteroid. One of these options would be to destroy the asteroid with a nuclear bomb.
With an explosive yield of 334 kt (kilotons), the asteroid could be destroyed – at least, under optimal conditions. This means the bomb would have to explode at an altitude of 12 meters above the surface. The document states that there is “no margin for error” if the plan involves this bomb.
A nuclear weapon with 1 megaton allows for a bit more margin for error, as the height of burst (HOB) is at 85 meters.
NASA’s plan will take several years
What is NASA’s timeline? In the document, NASA also addresses the timeline. The officials note that the best chances for a reconnaissance probe would be at the end of 2028. The so-called “nuclear robust destruction mission” has a launch window between the end of 2029 and 2031.
There has also been discussion about diverting the asteroid. However, analyses suggest this is rather impractical. Another option would be “kinetic destruction,” where an AI spacecraft is supposed to destroy the asteroid through a collision. This method has also been calculated in the document and could, according to the authors, reliably destroy the asteroid.
In addition to discovering asteroids, new minerals are also occasionally discovered. On Mars, scientists have found iron hydroxysulfate, which differs from previously known minerals due to its unique crystal structure and high thermal stability: Scientists have discovered a new mineral on Mars and what it means for research
