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Asteroid shock: ‘Clock is ticking’, human race must leave Earth or 'it's over' says expert


Asgardia is aiming to become the first-ever space nation and as it stands, is finding a way of continuing the human race outside of Earth. The visionary nation is aiming to not only have the first birth in space but also to have the first “permanent space habitation”.

Speaking to Express.co.uk, Mr Opik delivered a grave prediction of the human race.

Although there are many concerns over Earth’s natural resources, Mr Opik instead warned that the legitimate worry is the possibility of the destruction of our planet from an asteroid.

Stating that it’s “not a question of if but rather when”, the Asgardia official did admit that the likelihood of an extinction-level strike may be rare but he insisted that it is essential that the population must leave the Earth.

He said: “If we don’t travel, we die.

“The clock is ticking.

“In our lifetime, many people will be killed by an asteroid.

“We have to make this journey, we have to have colonies otherwise when this happens it’s all over.”

Founded in 2016 by Russian scientist, Igor Ashurbeyli, Asgardia isn’t looking to compete with private space companies such as Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

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Speaking on Musk and his ambitions, Mr Opik said: “Mk1 was a landmark event but its also the evolution for the changing dialogue that is going on.”

Earlier this year, SpaceX was also selected for NASA’s asteroid deflection mission.

Named, Double steroid Redirection Test (DART), Mr Musk announced his excitement to play a role in the defence of the Earth.

The programme will involve shooting a spacecraft at high speeds into a pair of asteroids dubbed Didymos.

Under that programme, NASA hope it can force the impact of Didymos enough to alter its trajectory.

The launch of the programme is scheduled for 2021 and last week, Mr Musk tweeted to his followers his eagerness to join the project.

He said: “Excited about launching NASA asteroid defence mission! #Armageddon69.”

Speaking on the programme, NASA said: “The total cost for NASA to launch DART is approximately $69 million, which includes the launch service and other mission-related costs.

“The DART mission currently is targeted to launch in June 2021 on a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

“By using solar electric propulsion, DART will intercept the asteroid Didymos’ small moon in October 2022, when the asteroid will be within 11 million kilometres of Earth.”



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