Scientists Are Working to Spot 'City Killer' Asteroids Before They Hit

Why It Matters

Deploying the NEO Surveyor will close a major detection gap, giving policymakers and scientists early warning to deflect or mitigate city‑killer asteroids before they threaten populated areas.

Key Takeaways

• Over 25,000 city‑killer asteroids remain undetected near Earth.
• Congress mandated 90% detection by 2020; goal missed.
• NASA's NEO Surveyor to launch 2027, using infrared detection.
• Telescope aims to locate 140‑meter asteroids at 1 AU distance.
• Expected to achieve two‑thirds coverage in five years, ninety percent in decade.

Summary

The video spotlights NASA’s upcoming Near‑Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor, a space‑based infrared telescope slated for launch in 2027 to hunt down asteroids capable of flattening a city. The initiative stems from a 2005 congressional directive that required the agency to catalog 90% of such objects by 2020—a deadline that has long passed, with less than half of the estimated 25,000 hazardous bodies identified.

Key data points underscore the urgency: NASA estimates more than 25,000 potentially city‑destroying asteroids orbit near Earth, many of which are 140 meters in diameter or larger. The Surveyor will detect the heat signatures of these dark, fast‑moving rocks from a distance comparable to Earth’s orbit around the Sun, dramatically expanding the detection envelope beyond ground‑based optical surveys. Its mission targets locating at least two‑thirds of the threat population within five years and achieving the original 90% coverage goal within a decade.

Experts cite the telescope’s infrared capability as a game‑changer, allowing it to spot objects that reflect little visible light but emit detectable thermal radiation. NASA officials highlight that the Surveyor will continuously scan the sky, providing early warnings that could give planetary‑defense teams months—or even years—of lead time to devise mitigation strategies.

The broader implication is a significant stride toward closing a critical planetary‑defense gap. By fulfilling the long‑overdue congressional mandate, the Surveyor not only enhances global safety but also bolsters confidence in humanity’s ability to anticipate and respond to extraterrestrial hazards, potentially averting catastrophic loss of life and economic disruption.

Original Description

In 2005, Congress tasked NASA with finding "city killer" asteroids. In order to reach that goal, scientists are sending a telescope into space.

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