Article

NASA officials warn that Earth lacks defenses against approximately 15,000 undetected medium-sized asteroids capable of significant damage. The Dart mission demonstrated the potential to deflect an asteroid, but there are currently no immediate preparations in place for future threats.

NASA's Planetary Defense Officer emphasized concerns over the unknown medium asteroids, particularly those 140 meters and larger. To address this, NASA plans to launch the Surveyor mission in 2027 to detect at least 90% of these asteroids within a decade.