The energy released by the blast was equivalent to around 30 atomic bombs.Although the space rock exploded at a very high altitude, its energy was powerful enough to damage about 7,000 buildings on the ground. Still, NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office admits there are gaps in the agency’s knowledge and unpredicted impacts, like the Chelyabinsk asteroid, could occur. All market data delayed 20 minutes. "We have to make sure that people understand that this is not about Hollywood, it's not about movies," Bridenstine said at the conference, according to "We know for a fact that the dinosaurs did not have a space program. According to reports, around 1,500 people were seriously injured during the incident.According to CNEOS, 2019 WH2 and 2019 WN1 are not in danger of hitting Earth during their upcoming approach. Get the latest updates on NASA missions, watch NASA TV live, and learn about our quest to reveal the unknown and benefit all humankind. An SUV-size space rock flew past our planet over the weekend and was detected by a NASA-funded asteroid survey as it departed. It’s all part of a bigger plan, part of which involves using a … All market data delayed 20 minutes. or redistributed. But we do, and we need to use it," Bridenstine added, attempting to portray planetary defense on the same level as a return trip to the Moon. Lindley Johnson, the space agency's planetary defense officer, said at the time that the country "already has significant scientific, technical and operational capabilities" to help with NEOs, but implementing the new plan would "greatly increase our nation’s readiness and work with international partners to effectively respond should a new potential asteroid impact be detected.”NASA will launch its first asteroid defense mission, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission, in 2022.