Close Call: Asteroid's Near Miss Raises Questions About Earth's Defense Capability

A recent study explores the possibility of countering an asteroid similar to the one that passed close to Earth in July using the Pulverize It (PI) method. The study suggests that, given current launch technology, we could launch a defense rocket within a day to fragment the asteroid into harmless bits. However, this proposal is still a proof of concept, as there are currently no rockets or impactor systems in place. The question remains whether we have the will to build a planetary defense rocket to protect against potential asteroid threats.