The United Nations has activated its Planetary Security Protocol for the first time in response to a potential asteroid impact. The asteroid, designated YR4, measures approximately 40 meters in diameter and has a 1.5% chance of colliding with Earth in 2032.
The protocol mandates the activation of two UN-backed asteroid response groups: the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN), led by NASA, and the Space Mission Planning Advisory Group (SMPAG), led by the European Space Agency (ESA).
The Canary Islands, through the Institute of Astrophysics (IAC), is providing resources to observe and measure YR4's behavior. The IAC's two observatories, Teide and Roque de los Muchachos, will conduct astrometric tracking to refine the asteroid's orbit and study its physical properties.
Initial spectral data from the Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) indicates that YR4 is primarily composed of a mixture of rocks and silicates. While the probability of impact remains low, the UN is taking precautions due to the asteroid's size and potential threat.
The IAC is utilizing its Transient Survey Telescope (TST) and expects to soon observe YR4 with the Atlas network telescope recently installed at Teide.
In the event of a confirmed imminent collision, space agencies have successfully tested a spacecraft capable of deflecting asteroids, such as NASA's DART mission. The seven-year timeframe before YR4's potential close approach to Earth offers sufficient time to potentially deflect it.