NASA Will Attempt To Knock an Asteroid Out Of Orbit

If it's successful, it will be the first instance of interplanetary defense, and I can already hear the science fiction nuts going crazy about it. One step closer to an actual Star Fleet, right?

NASA has teamed up with the ESA (European Space Agency) with the intention of knocking an asteroid off its orbit by slamming into it with a specially-made probe. Don't worry, the asteroids they will be targeting first don't pose a threat to the earth, and a failure will just be another learning opportunity for the scientists at NASA.

What it will do, however, will provide vital information for NASA and the ESA for future planetary defense, should an asteroid be on target towards the earth. After all, we've only got one, right? NASA released the below video regarding the project.

NASA plans to launch it's probe in 2021, with the expected hit on the asteroid (known as "Diddymoon") to happen in October of 2022.