If a 10KM or larger asteroid hit the Earth would it be able to knock the the International Space Station out of its orbit?

Answer 1

Most likely yes, but not in 2012. It will probably hit 2029 or 2036. BUT don't get worried. One asteroid cant hit the whole earth and destroy it. But be prepared. but that wont .

Sorry this computer is dying

Answer 2

All the time, actually over 1,000 asteroids hit the Earth everyday and are hitting it sometimes every second and every minute.

In fact, two asteroids came near the Earth just today, September 8, 2010. They each came closer than the Moon. Both were fairly small, and were first detected only a day or two before their CPA (Closest Point of Approach).

Answer 3

Many thousands of objects hit the earth every day.

It is not possible to predict when an asteroid, large enough to cause significant damage, will next hit the earth.
There is no prediction about a specific date. Should any asteroid hit us during the next few centuries, it would come as a surprise. There are general predictions about probability; such as an asteroid above a certain size hitting every so-and-so often (on average).

Answer 4

Because of their high velocity, asteroids several times smaller than a planet can do disproportionate damage. An asteroid can cause mass-extinction (this is what is thought to have made the dinosaurs go extinct) through major climate change. When an asteroid impacts a planet, there is a massive explosion and all the kinetic and heat energy from the impact creates a crater several times larger than the asteroid itself. The impact (if on land) throws up massive amounts of rock and dust, if there is enough debris, there will like be a large dust cloud for several years.
If the asteroid impacts on water, it can create a massive tsunami, or tidal wave, that can do massive destruction to shoreline communities.

Answer 5

Astronomers say on April 14, 2029, a giant asteroid named Apophis will come really close to Earth, closer than the moon. On April 14, 2036, Apophis will make another close approach and possibly hit Earth. In 2029, if Apophis enters a thing called a keyhole, it will probably most definitely hit Earth in 2036. There are a couple theories that will try to stop it. One theory is we could send a few nuclear missiles and break it down to pieces and let it fall back to Earth. The second theory is we could send out a giant ball and knock it out of the way but it will maybe go through the keyhole again. The third theory is we could send a giant ship with a lot of gravity and tow it out of the way.No need to be scared if I were you because it has a 1 in 37 chance

Answer 6

It could happen, but would be highly unlikely. There are millions of space rocks floating around in space, each in its own orbit. That an asteroid has not yet hit the Earth, after 4.5 billion years, is a pretty good indication that it won't.

On the other hand, the Earth is struck by thousands of meteors every day, and the main reason that we don't pay more attention is because they are all so small.

And let's think about the "destroy" part. No asteroid - not even a very large one - could destroy the planet completely. Even if the Earth were to be broken into pieces, they pieces would still be bound by gravity and would fall back into each other and form a new planet. Did you mean "destroy the Earth's capacity to support life"? In that case, a single asteroid about 30 miles in diameter would probably do it - but then we're back to the "highly unlikely" answer.

Answer 7

Could an asteroid destroy the planet completely? Very unlikely; impossible, in fact. If a very large asteroid struck the Earth at a high velocity, it could reshape the planet, but the planet itself would continue to exist, although in a very different form.

Would life on the Earth survive? Perhaps not! Large masses have struck the Earth several times over the past 4 billion years, and life has been knocked back almost to the beginning at least a couple of times.

Answer 8

It most certainly will. It has been struck several times by asteroids in the past, and it is practically inevitable that it will be struck by asteroids again in the future.

Answer 9

Not unless the two bodies meet, or come very close together.

Answer 10

No - but some do come close, they orbit a sun