NASA chief Charles Bolden has only one piece of advice for the public in case an asteroid heads for our planet in the near future: Pray.
An asteroid estimated to be 16 meters in diameter exploded in the sky over Chelyabinsk, Russia
This is how the US, or any other country, could act in the event that an unknown asteroid or meteor heads toward the earth, Bolden said in Congress, answering the question of what NASA could do if an asteroid heads toward the planet in the next three weeks.
"The reason we wouldn't be able to do anything in those next three weeks is because we've been putting off doing something for decades," Bolden said, noting that the chances of any strike in the next 100 years are incredibly slim.
However, he pointed out that the deadlines set by NASA for the improvement of the detection system of smaller celestial bodies and for the defense systems have been missed because not enough funds have been provided.
"You all told us to do something, but after that the money never came," Holdren warned.
An asteroid estimated to be 16 meters in diameter exploded in the sky over Chelyabinsk, Russia, damaging a couple of buildings and injuring more than 1.500 people. Later that day, a larger asteroid discovered last year passed 27.200 kilometers from Earth, closer than the network of television and weather satellites in orbit.
NASA tracks the largest objects
It is estimated that, on average, objects of that size hit the Earth once every 1.000 years.
"However, only about 10 percent of the estimated 10.000 potential "city killer" asteroids have been found.
NASA has detected and is tracking approximately 95 percent of the largest objects that fly by Earth, those that are one kilometer in diameter.
"An asteroid of that size, a kilometer or larger, could destroy civilization," warned White House science adviser John Holdren.
On average, every thousand years a similar asteroid hits the Earth.
"We don't know when it's going to hit, but if it's going to be in a three-week period, pray," said Charles Bolden, adding, "The chances of that scenario are very slim, but the damage it would cause would be enormous, enormous. What as for bodies like the Russian meteor, they will always be difficult to detect."
NASA is currently focused on developing technologies to change the direction of certain objects that could collide with the Earth, in addition to seeking to intensify monitoring and developing international partnerships.
"However, only about 10 percent of an estimated total of 10.000 potential 'city killer' asteroids that are about 165 feet (50 meters) in diameter have been found," Holdren added.
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