NASA will not mount a mission to deflect an asteroid with a slender chance of hitting Earth until further radar measurements are taken to determine whether the object is a true threat.

Currently, NASA estimates that asteroid Apophis (previously known as 2004 MN4) has a 1 in 5500 chance of hitting Earth in 2036. That depends on whether the asteroid sneaks through a 600-metre-wide region during its close swing past Earth in 2029.

If it threads through that keyhole, its orbit could be perturbed, possibly putting it on a collision course with Earth in 2036. But until radar observations of the asteroid are taken in 2013, it will remain unclear where Apophis is headed.

The asteroid was discovered in 2004 and is thought to measure between 320 and 400 metres in diameter. An asteroid of that size could wipe out a large city if it were to collide with Earth.

Originally posted by Manincloak
Right now, I think it's safe to say such an asteroid can be effectively shot down with a modified rocket (thats rocket, not a ballistic missile) of some sort, carrying a nuclear warhead.

In 30 years, it will probably be 30 times easier.

Nothing to worry about....

Originally posted by cmdrkeenkid
You realize you did use New Scientist as a source.... Right? I'm sorry, but it's hardly credible.

Originally posted by defcon5
No offence intended but I think that an article written November 2005 trumps that canned NASA article from December 2004. Obviously something has changed in the last year and new information is coming out now.
[edit on 11/2/2005 by defcon5]