Fani Willis fan
Veteran
NASA head: Expect a major asteroid strike in your lifetime
"These events are not rare; they happen," Bridenstine said, noting that one model shows we can expect an event of the same magnitude as Chelyabinsk about every 60 years.
In the 20th century there were three such impacts, including the famous Tunguska event of 1908 and another reported in Brazil in 1930.
Bridenstine emphasized that NASA is working toward a goal of being able to detect and track 90 percent of nearby asteroids that are 140 meters or larger. "An impact by a space rock that large would do catastrophic damage, perhaps enough to wipe out an entire state or small country."
"These events are not rare; they happen," Bridenstine said, noting that one model shows we can expect an event of the same magnitude as Chelyabinsk about every 60 years.
In the 20th century there were three such impacts, including the famous Tunguska event of 1908 and another reported in Brazil in 1930.
Bridenstine emphasized that NASA is working toward a goal of being able to detect and track 90 percent of nearby asteroids that are 140 meters or larger. "An impact by a space rock that large would do catastrophic damage, perhaps enough to wipe out an entire state or small country."