NASA has updated its plans for how to deal with an apocalyptic asteroid on a crash-course with Earth.

There's no immediate threat (thankfully), but if the day arises when space rocks come calling, Nasa now has a workable plan.

6 A meteor pictured 930 miles east of Moscow back in 2013 as NASA calls for improved asteroid detection Credit: AP:Associated Press

How Nasa's DART rocket will smash into rogue asteroids to knock them off course

The US space agency has released an 18-page document titled the "National near-Earth Object Preparedness Strategy and Action Plan".

It describes a number of steps that need to be taken to prepare for an incoming asteroid – including potential ways to dispatch it.

"An asteroid impact is one of the possible scenarios that we must be prepared for," said Leviticus Lewis, the chief of FEMA, a US emergency department that worked with Nasa on the report.

He added that it's a "low-probability but high-consequence event", and that "some degree of preparedness is necessary".

6 An asteroid trail sighted above a residential apartment block in the Russian city of Chelyabinsk Credit: AFP

6 The plan shows how a 200ft asteroid would destroy a huge area of New York with a direct hit

How Nasa's asteroid redirect mission will drag space rocks off course using gravity

Speaking during a press conference on Wednesday evening, Nasa's planetary defense officer (yes, that's a real job) Lindley Johnson explained the reasoning behind the plan.

"This plan is an outline not only to enhance the hunt for hazardous asteroids, but also to better predict their chances of being an impact threat well into the future and the potential effects that it could have on Earth.

He added that the plan will help "step up our efforts to demonstrate possible asteroid deflection and other mitigation techniques, and to better formalize across the U.S. government the processes and protocols for dissemination of the best information available so that timely decisions can be made."

6 The cumulative number of near-Earth asteroids discovered by year since 1980 Credit: Nasa

Nasa's five-step plan for saving the Earth from space death

In the 18-page plan, Nasa outlined five key ways it would avoid the total destruction of Earth and all human life.

Step One – Nasa wants to get better at tracking asteroids through space.

There are already a number of observatories around the world that Nasa uses to spot deadly asteroids, but sometimes we only catch them very late – just hours before impact.

Nasa said it wants to "identify opportunities in existing and planned telescope programs to improve detection and tracking, by enhancing the volume and quality of current data streams".

More awareness of asteroids equals less chance of total annihilation, which makes sense.

Step Two – Once you've spotted an asteroid, it's all about working out when and where it's going to smack into Earth.

Nasa's second aim is to improve this process, so that when it sees incoming objects, it can accurately predict exactly what sort of cataclysm we're facing.

It wants to work with other agencies to improving "modelling, prediction and information integration" – which sounds boring, but could probably save us all from certain death.

What's the difference between an asteroid, meteor and comet? Here's what you need to know, according to Nasa... Asteroid: An asteroid is a small rocky body that orbits the Sun. Most are found in the asteroid belt (between Mars and Jupiter) but they can be found anywhere (including in a path that can impact Earth)

An asteroid is a small rocky body that orbits the Sun. Most are found in the asteroid belt (between Mars and Jupiter) but they can be found anywhere (including in a path that can impact Earth) Meteoroid: When two asteroids hit each other, the small chunks that break off are called meteoroids

When two asteroids hit each other, the small chunks that break off are called meteoroids Meteor: If a meteoroid enters the Earth's atmosphere, it begins to vapourise and then becomes a meteor. On Earth, it'll look like a streak of light in the sky, because the rock is burning up

If a meteoroid enters the Earth's atmosphere, it begins to vapourise and then becomes a meteor. On Earth, it'll look like a streak of light in the sky, because the rock is burning up Meteorite: If a meteoroid doesn't vapourise completely and survives the trip through Earth's atmosphere, it can land on the Earth. At that point, it becomes a meteorite

If a meteoroid doesn't vapourise completely and survives the trip through Earth's atmosphere, it can land on the Earth. At that point, it becomes a meteorite Comet: Like asteroids, a comet orbits the Sun. However rather than being made mostly of rock, a comet contains lots of ice and gas, which can result in amazing tails forming behind them (thanks to the ice and dust vapourising)

Step Three – Nasa's third goal is to find out a half-decent way of deflecting asteroids on a collision course with Earth.

This will involve developing new tech to enable "rapid-response NEO [near-Earth objects] reconnaissance missions".

The idea is that we send a spacecraft out towards asteroids, and then knock them off course somehow, saving the planet.

There's already a planned mission – called the Double Asteroid Redirection Test – scheduled fore 2021 that will do exactly this.

Its target practice will go into effect in 2022, with the asteroid system Didymos.

6 A depiction of laser ablation, which involves slowly breaking down an asteroid using a giant laser Credit: Semantic Scholar

Step Four – No man is an island, so they say – and that includes Nasa.

The fourth objective is to boost international cooperation, because more eyes on the sky can only be a good thing when it comes to spotting falling rocks of death.

"It's a global hazard that we all face together, and the best way to approach and address that hazard is cooperatively," said Aaron Miles, who works on science policy at the White House.

They want to develop an international response strategy for incoming asteroids, which would involve sharing data, and smashing space rocks together.

Step Five – The final (and most necessary step) is to develop a proper step-by-step plan for when a large asteroid is spotted heading for Earth.

This will involve improving emergency exercises ahead of time, so that everyone doesn't panic when the big day comes.

It means Nasa and FEMA will need to get better at notifying people who might be affected, putting in effective natural disaster alerts for the public.

6 A worker pictured clearing pieces of broken glass following a meteorite blast in Chelyabinsk Credit: EPA

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The good news is that it's very unlikely we'll be smashed up by an asteroid soon. Just because Nasa is planning for possible human extinction doesn't mean you need to rush out into your garden to build a bunker.

"NASA and its partners have identified more than 95 percent of all asteroids that are large enough to cause a global catastrophe, and none of those found poses a threat within the century," said Miles.

"Effective emergency-response procedures can save lives, and unlike most natural disasters, asteroid impacts are preventable."

Webcam captures asteroid hitting Earth just hours after being detected by NASA in South Africa

Do you think we're doomed if an apocalyptic asteroid takes aim at Earth, or can Nasa save the day? Let us know in the comments!

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