‘Emergency’ Nasa decision announced as odds on city-killer asteroid 2024YR4 smashing into Earth shorten AGAIN to 1-in-43 THE odds of asteroid 2024 YR4 colliding with Earth have shortened again with scientists now saying it has a one-in-43 chance of hitting.
Scientists are researching using a Modular Asteroid Deflection Mission Ejector Node (MADMEN) to drill into the asteroid to push it away from Earth.
Other potential aversion options would be gravity tractors where a giant spaceship would move the asteroid off course or they could send in kinetic impactors to smash into it and break it up.
Despite it still having just a 2.3 per cent chance of hitting Earth, 2024 YR4 has caused space agencies to leap into preventative measures.
A clever international team of astronomers have now been granted use of the iconic James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) so they can determine how much damage the asteroid may cause.
