In 2022, NASA intentionally rammed a spacecraft into a small asteroid at 14,000 mph, knocking it off course. The goal was to demonstrate a proof of concept for keeping humanity safe from a space rock heading toward the Earth. Earlier this year, the asteroid made headlines after scientists identified it as having one of the highest chances of hitting the Earth on record. In other words, chances are slim that the space agency will allocate the necessary resources to blow up an errant space rock that’s currently over 379 million miles away — and is extremely unlikely to pose any danger to us. More on asteroids: Fearless James Webb Telescope Stares Down “City Killer” Asteroid That Had Been Feared to Strike Earth