In March 2021, the U.S. space agency announced that new telescope observations have ruled out any chance of the asteroid Apophis colliding with Earth in 2068. NASA tracks near-Earth objects (NEO) to calculate the risk of a catastrophic impact with an asteroid. [RELATED: How scientists know we’re not going to get squashed by an asteroid | NASA spacecraft successfully ‘kisses’ asteroid to bring back sample to Earth]Asteroid 99942 Apophis is one such object. AdNASA became interested in the asteroid in 2004 when scientists noticed it seems to be wobbling closer and closer to Earth. They were able to calculate the asteroid with what NASA calls “extreme precision,” ruling out an impact with Earth for another century.

This May 18, 1969 photo made available by NASA shows Earth from 36,000 nautical miles away as photographed from the Apollo 10 spacecraft during its trans-lunar journey toward the moon. In March 2021, the U.S. space agency announced that new telescope observations have ruled out any chance of the asteroid Apophis colliding with Earth in 2068. (NASA via AP)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Whew, now here’s some good cosmic news: NASA has given Earth the all clear for the next century from a particularly menacing asteroid. The space agency announced this week that new telescope observations have ruled out any chance of Apophis smacking Earth in 2068. NASA ruled out any chance of a strike during those two close approaches a while ago.