Asteroid Strike Could Cause 'Immense Suffering'

A huge asteroid hurtling through space at 63,000mph could one day hit Earth causing "immense suffering and death", astronomers say.

The space rock was discovered in 1999 and is likely to blast in between the Earth and the moon in 2135 - a little too close for comfort.

But on a return trip later in the century, it is estimated the asteroid known as 101955 Bennu could actually strike our planet.

Dante Lauretta, the NASA expert in charge of a new mission to analyse the asteroid, said: "That 2135 fly-by is going to tweak Bennu's orbit, potentially putting it on course for the Earth later that century.

It is due to hurtle between Earth and the moon in 2135

"We estimate the chance of impact at about one in 2,700 between 2175 and 2196.

"It may be destined to cause immense suffering and death."

But he added that there's a very good chance that science will be so advanced by then that it could be knocked off course, saving humanity.

The team puts the finishing touches to the spacecraft. Pic: NASA

"Don't run out and buy asteroid insurance," he said, explaining that "nukes" or a "gravity tractor" could be among the options for knocking it off course.

"I wish I could be around in 2135 to see what happens," he added.

The asteroid measures 500m across, and a space rock of that size is - on average - expected to hit the Earth every 130,000 years.

An artist's impression of how the operation will look. Pic: NASA

The force of Bennu striking the Earth would be the equivalent of three billion tons of high explosive being detonated.

A spacecraft is being launched by NASA to scan the surface of the asteroid, and harvest samples from its surface.

As most asteroids predate the formation of planets, scientists hope the information gleaned will help them to better understand the building blocks of life.

But by better understanding the make-up of the asteroid, they will also hopefully be a step closer to working out how to avoid a potential collision.

Asteroid Strike Could Cause 'Immense Suffering'

A huge asteroid hurtling through space at 63,000mph could one day hit Earth causing "immense suffering and death", astronomers say.

The space rock was discovered in 1999 and is likely to blast in between the Earth and the moon in 2135 - a little too close for comfort.

But on a return trip later in the century, it is estimated the asteroid known as 101955 Bennu could actually strike our planet.

Dante Lauretta, the NASA expert in charge of a new mission to analyse the asteroid, said: "That 2135 fly-by is going to tweak Bennu's orbit, potentially putting it on course for the Earth later that century.

It is due to hurtle between Earth and the moon in 2135

"We estimate the chance of impact at about one in 2,700 between 2175 and 2196.

"It may be destined to cause immense suffering and death."

But he added that there's a very good chance that science will be so advanced by then that it could be knocked off course, saving humanity.

The team puts the finishing touches to the spacecraft. Pic: NASA

"Don't run out and buy asteroid insurance," he said, explaining that "nukes" or a "gravity tractor" could be among the options for knocking it off course.

"I wish I could be around in 2135 to see what happens," he added.

The asteroid measures 500m across, and a space rock of that size is - on average - expected to hit the Earth every 130,000 years.

An artist's impression of how the operation will look. Pic: NASA

The force of Bennu striking the Earth would be the equivalent of three billion tons of high explosive being detonated.

A spacecraft is being launched by NASA to scan the surface of the asteroid, and harvest samples from its surface.

As most asteroids predate the formation of planets, scientists hope the information gleaned will help them to better understand the building blocks of life.

But by better understanding the make-up of the asteroid, they will also hopefully be a step closer to working out how to avoid a potential collision.

MH370 Deliberately Flown Into Sea - Crash Expert

One of the world's leading air crash investigators says he believes flight MH370 was deliberately flown into the sea.

Larry Vance has told Australian television he can see no other theory to explain why the Malaysia Airlines plane crashed in March 2014 with 239 people on board.

Mr Vance said a section of a wing recovered from the sea showed evidence that it was it was extended, suggesting a controlled landing rather than an accidental crash.

"Somebody was flying the airplane into the water," he told Channel Nine's 60 Minutes programme.

"Everybody should then have concluded in my opinion that this was a human engineered event, there's no other explanation."
  
Mr Vance, who has led more than 200 air crash investigations, has based his theory on the small piece of wing called a flaperon, which was found on Reunion Island a year ago and confirmed to be from the doomed airliner.

He said damage along its edge proved it was extended, and the extending can only be activated by a person.

There were 239 people on board the flight

And he said the failure by rescuers to find any floating debris could also be explained by the plane making a slow, controlled landing, rather than a massive impact.

French investigators are examining the flaperon, but have yet to release their findings. 

"It wasn't broken off. If it was broken off, it would be a clean break. You couldn't even break that thing. I know from experience that it's wide," said Mr Vance.

"If you wanted to break that off, you couldn't do it and make it look like that. That had to be eroded away."

The Australian-led search for the plane has been based on it not being under human control when it inexplicably veered off course while on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

thought it went down in the southern Indian Ocean.

It has been revealed that the captain's home flight simulator showed that a month before the doomed flight, he plotted an almost identical route deep into the same sea.

Peter Foley, an Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) crash investigator, agreed with Mr Vance that a rogue pilot could have been responsible.

And he said that if the plane was piloted until the end, it could have landed outside the current search area.

Investigators are examining another section of plane washed up in Tanzania

Another piece of wing believed to be from the plane recently found in Tanzania is being analysed to see if it too was extended at the end of the flight.

Mr Foley said if it was it meant someone was in control of the aircraft.

The fate of flight MH370 is one of aviation's biggest mysteries.

The search for the missing Boeing 777 has been focused on an area of the ocean floor more than 1,500 miles off the west coast of Australia.

Aircraft and ships using underwater drones and sonar equipment have been used to scour a 75,000 square mile area.

But it is thought the search may be closed down by the end of the year if it does not find any new evidence.

MH370 Deliberately Flown Into Sea - Crash Expert

One of the world's leading air crash investigators says he believes flight MH370 was deliberately flown into the sea.

Larry Vance has told Australian television he can see no other theory to explain why the Malaysia Airlines plane crashed in March 2014 with 239 people on board.

Mr Vance said a section of a wing recovered from the sea showed evidence that it was it was extended, suggesting a controlled landing rather than an accidental crash.

"Somebody was flying the airplane into the water," he told Channel Nine's 60 Minutes programme.

"Everybody should then have concluded in my opinion that this was a human engineered event, there's no other explanation."
  
Mr Vance, who has led more than 200 air crash investigations, has based his theory on the small piece of wing called a flaperon, which was found on Reunion Island a year ago and confirmed to be from the doomed airliner.

He said damage along its edge proved it was extended, and the extending can only be activated by a person.

There were 239 people on board the flight

And he said the failure by rescuers to find any floating debris could also be explained by the plane making a slow, controlled landing, rather than a massive impact.

French investigators are examining the flaperon, but have yet to release their findings. 

"It wasn't broken off. If it was broken off, it would be a clean break. You couldn't even break that thing. I know from experience that it's wide," said Mr Vance.

"If you wanted to break that off, you couldn't do it and make it look like that. That had to be eroded away."

The Australian-led search for the plane has been based on it not being under human control when it inexplicably veered off course while on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

thought it went down in the southern Indian Ocean.

It has been revealed that the captain's home flight simulator showed that a month before the doomed flight, he plotted an almost identical route deep into the same sea.

Peter Foley, an Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) crash investigator, agreed with Mr Vance that a rogue pilot could have been responsible.

And he said that if the plane was piloted until the end, it could have landed outside the current search area.

Investigators are examining another section of plane washed up in Tanzania

Another piece of wing believed to be from the plane recently found in Tanzania is being analysed to see if it too was extended at the end of the flight.

Mr Foley said if it was it meant someone was in control of the aircraft.

The fate of flight MH370 is one of aviation's biggest mysteries.

The search for the missing Boeing 777 has been focused on an area of the ocean floor more than 1,500 miles off the west coast of Australia.

Aircraft and ships using underwater drones and sonar equipment have been used to scour a 75,000 square mile area.

But it is thought the search may be closed down by the end of the year if it does not find any new evidence.

MH370 Deliberately Flown Into Sea - Crash Expert

One of the world's leading air crash investigators says he believes flight MH370 was deliberately flown into the sea.

Larry Vance has told Australian television he can see no other theory to explain why the Malaysia Airlines plane crashed in March 2014 with 239 people on board.

Mr Vance said a section of a wing recovered from the sea showed evidence that it was it was extended, suggesting a controlled landing rather than an accidental crash.

"Somebody was flying the airplane into the water," he told Channel Nine's 60 Minutes programme.

"Everybody should then have concluded in my opinion that this was a human engineered event, there's no other explanation."
  
Mr Vance, who has led more than 200 air crash investigations, has based his theory on the small piece of wing called a flaperon, which was found on Reunion Island a year ago and confirmed to be from the doomed airliner.

He said damage along its edge proved it was extended, and the extending can only be activated by a person.

There were 239 people on board the flight

And he said the failure by rescuers to find any floating debris could also be explained by the plane making a slow, controlled landing, rather than a massive impact.

French investigators are examining the flaperon, but have yet to release their findings. 

"It wasn't broken off. If it was broken off, it would be a clean break. You couldn't even break that thing. I know from experience that it's wide," said Mr Vance.

"If you wanted to break that off, you couldn't do it and make it look like that. That had to be eroded away."

The Australian-led search for the plane has been based on it not being under human control when it inexplicably veered off course while on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

thought it went down in the southern Indian Ocean.

It has been revealed that the captain's home flight simulator showed that a month before the doomed flight, he plotted an almost identical route deep into the same sea.

Peter Foley, an Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) crash investigator, agreed with Mr Vance that a rogue pilot could have been responsible.

And he said that if the plane was piloted until the end, it could have landed outside the current search area.

Investigators are examining another section of plane washed up in Tanzania

Another piece of wing believed to be from the plane recently found in Tanzania is being analysed to see if it too was extended at the end of the flight.

Mr Foley said if it was it meant someone was in control of the aircraft.

The fate of flight MH370 is one of aviation's biggest mysteries.

The search for the missing Boeing 777 has been focused on an area of the ocean floor more than 1,500 miles off the west coast of Australia.

Aircraft and ships using underwater drones and sonar equipment have been used to scour a 75,000 square mile area.

But it is thought the search may be closed down by the end of the year if it does not find any new evidence.

MH370 Deliberately Flown Into Sea - Crash Expert

One of the world's leading air crash investigators says he believes flight MH370 was deliberately flown into the sea.

Larry Vance has told Australian television he can see no other theory to explain why the Malaysia Airlines plane crashed in March 2014 with 239 people on board.

Mr Vance said a section of a wing recovered from the sea showed evidence that it was it was extended, suggesting a controlled landing rather than an accidental crash.

"Somebody was flying the airplane into the water," he told Channel Nine's 60 Minutes programme.

"Everybody should then have concluded in my opinion that this was a human engineered event, there's no other explanation."
  
Mr Vance, who has led more than 200 air crash investigations, has based his theory on the small piece of wing called a flaperon, which was found on Reunion Island a year ago and confirmed to be from the doomed airliner.

He said damage along its edge proved it was extended, and the extending can only be activated by a person.

There were 239 people on board the flight

And he said the failure by rescuers to find any floating debris could also be explained by the plane making a slow, controlled landing, rather than a massive impact.

French investigators are examining the flaperon, but have yet to release their findings. 

"It wasn't broken off. If it was broken off, it would be a clean break. You couldn't even break that thing. I know from experience that it's wide," said Mr Vance.

"If you wanted to break that off, you couldn't do it and make it look like that. That had to be eroded away."

The Australian-led search for the plane has been based on it not being under human control when it inexplicably veered off course while on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

thought it went down in the southern Indian Ocean.

It has been revealed that the captain's home flight simulator showed that a month before the doomed flight, he plotted an almost identical route deep into the same sea.

Peter Foley, an Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) crash investigator, agreed with Mr Vance that a rogue pilot could have been responsible.

And he said that if the plane was piloted until the end, it could have landed outside the current search area.

Investigators are examining another section of plane washed up in Tanzania

Another piece of wing believed to be from the plane recently found in Tanzania is being analysed to see if it too was extended at the end of the flight.

Mr Foley said if it was it meant someone was in control of the aircraft.

The fate of flight MH370 is one of aviation's biggest mysteries.

The search for the missing Boeing 777 has been focused on an area of the ocean floor more than 1,500 miles off the west coast of Australia.

Aircraft and ships using underwater drones and sonar equipment have been used to scour a 75,000 square mile area.

But it is thought the search may be closed down by the end of the year if it does not find any new evidence.

MH370 Deliberately Flown Into Sea - Crash Expert

One of the world's leading air crash investigators says he believes flight MH370 was deliberately flown into the sea.

Larry Vance has told Australian television he can see no other theory to explain why the Malaysia Airlines plane crashed in March 2014 with 239 people on board.

Mr Vance said a section of a wing recovered from the sea showed evidence that it was it was extended, suggesting a controlled landing rather than an accidental crash.

"Somebody was flying the airplane into the water," he told Channel Nine's 60 Minutes programme.

"Everybody should then have concluded in my opinion that this was a human engineered event, there's no other explanation."
  
Mr Vance, who has led more than 200 air crash investigations, has based his theory on the small piece of wing called a flaperon, which was found on Reunion Island a year ago and confirmed to be from the doomed airliner.

He said damage along its edge proved it was extended, and the extending can only be activated by a person.

There were 239 people on board the flight

And he said the failure by rescuers to find any floating debris could also be explained by the plane making a slow, controlled landing, rather than a massive impact.

French investigators are examining the flaperon, but have yet to release their findings. 

"It wasn't broken off. If it was broken off, it would be a clean break. You couldn't even break that thing. I know from experience that it's wide," said Mr Vance.

"If you wanted to break that off, you couldn't do it and make it look like that. That had to be eroded away."

The Australian-led search for the plane has been based on it not being under human control when it inexplicably veered off course while on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

thought it went down in the southern Indian Ocean.

It has been revealed that the captain's home flight simulator showed that a month before the doomed flight, he plotted an almost identical route deep into the same sea.

Peter Foley, an Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) crash investigator, agreed with Mr Vance that a rogue pilot could have been responsible.

And he said that if the plane was piloted until the end, it could have landed outside the current search area.

Investigators are examining another section of plane washed up in Tanzania

Another piece of wing believed to be from the plane recently found in Tanzania is being analysed to see if it too was extended at the end of the flight.

Mr Foley said if it was it meant someone was in control of the aircraft.

The fate of flight MH370 is one of aviation's biggest mysteries.

The search for the missing Boeing 777 has been focused on an area of the ocean floor more than 1,500 miles off the west coast of Australia.

Aircraft and ships using underwater drones and sonar equipment have been used to scour a 75,000 square mile area.

But it is thought the search may be closed down by the end of the year if it does not find any new evidence.