A Russian scientist recently announced that they are planning to test their missiles on an asteroid that could potentially be a danger to Earth. Sabit Saitgarayev, the leading researcher at the Makeyev Rocket Design Bureau reported that they are planning to launch their Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles or ICBMs towards near-earth objects (NEOs). The asteroid the team is planning to specifically hit is the asteroid 99942 Apophis which believed to dangerously pass the earth in 2036.
"Their fueling begins 10 days before the launch and, therefore, they are unfit for destroying meteorites similar to the Chelyabinsk meteorite in diameter, which are detected several hours before coming close to the Earth" quipped Saitgarayev.
NASA disagrees that the asteroid in 2036 would create an impact that could potentially hurt humans. Russian scientists however were adamant about the possibility citing the incident that happened in Chelyabinsk, Russia last year when an asteroid impact injured over 1,500 people.
Founders of Asteroid Day, an organization which main goal is to spread awareness about the danger that an asteroid could do, has since explained the positive effects of Russia's plan to blow-up 99942 Apophis.
"An event like Chelyabinsk happens about once every 50 years, and we don't have a system designed to discover and track these things" explained Mark Boslough, a physicist at Sandia National Laboratories.
Co-founder of Asteroid Day who also happens to be a former astronaut, Tom Jones, has also since voiced out his support for Russia's plans. According to Jones, there is really nothing wrong with being prepared for the worst. He further explains that endeavours like this should be done with the public interest and knowledge. Jones claims that it is important for the public to understand the mechanics of the planet being hit by an asteroid or other celestial objects so everyone can work together to avoid impact.