Asteroid 2024 YR4, currently hurtling towards Earth at a 1 in 83 chance of impact, is prompting global planetary defense procedures. Designated by the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN), this asteroid has a diameter that can cause severe damage to regions up to 50 kilometers from its impact site.
Monitoring by international agencies such as NASA and the European Space Agency indicates the asteroid’s path is uncertain due to its elongated orbit around the Sun. The IAWN will coordinate efforts to further observe the asteroid, potentially leading to more detailed characterization measurements using telescopes and discussion of mitigation missions.
Potential impact sites include the eastern Pacific, northern South America, Africa, and South Asia. While the chances of an actual impact are low at 1 percent, the Torino Scale rating of 3 warrants attention. Historically, only one asteroid has received a higher rating, which was later downgraded after further observations.
To prepare for any potential threat, global planetary defense procedures will be invoked if the risk remains above 1 percent. This may involve diverting or destroying the asteroid via spacecraft, such as NASA’s Dart mission, which has been tested and deemed effective for asteroids of this scale.
Source: https://www.sciencealert.com/worlds-space-agencies-say-asteroid-has-1-3-chance-of-hitting-earth-in-2032