NASA's HAMMER May Not be Able to Stop Asteroid Bennu Which Could Hit The Earth in 2135 AD

Asteroid Bennu which is headed directly towards the Earth has been termed quite hazardous by scientists. They have estimated that Bennu is the size of the Empire State Building in the United States. The enormous asteroid would unleash 1,200 megatons of energy on impact which is 80,000 times that of the Hiroshima bomb. And NASA may be unable to stop this asteroid which could crash into Earth in 2135. The members of a US 'national planetary defence team' have also published a study warning the potentially "dire" consequences of the huge space rock smashing into the planet.

Scientists based at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have been working with NASA on a spacecraft called HAMMER (Hypervelocity Asteroid Mitigation Mission for Emergency Response vehicle). Hammer is designed to launch using NASA's Delta IV Heavy rocket to redirect Bennu from Earth.

While researchers think ramming the asteroid to change its course may help, but a "gentle nudge" won't break it up. Also, scientists have deemed HAMMER "inadequate" to deal with asteroid Bennu, as it would be unable to completely move the asteroid off its current path. The craft, which weighs 8.8 tonnes and is 9 meters tall and is usually able to divert asteroids from the earth by destroying them with nuclear blasts. The rock is 79 billion kilograms and is 500 meters in length.

While speculations are strong, only gets we near 2135 there will be a clearer idea if Bennu could actually hit Earth. Also, Bennu has a 1 in 2,700 chance of striking Earth on September 25, 2135. NASA already has one space probe heading towards Bennu called OSIRIS- REx.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 19, 2018 09:19 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).