NASA has collaborated with the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to work together on the possibility of destroying hazardous asteroids using nuclear weapons.

NNSA is a branch of the Department of Energy that is responsible for improving national security through the military application of nuclear science.

According to scientists, around one million near-Earth asteroids could pose a threat to Earth. However, only tiny fractions have been detected so far.

The proof of strike came on February 15 last year. An unknown object exploded high above Chelyabinsk, Russia, with 20 - 30 times the energy of the Hiroshima atomic bomb.

It was the largest known natural object to have entered the atmosphere since 1908 and caused widespread damage and injuries. It also destroyed a forest area of Siberia.

Scientists believe that using nuclear weapons to blow up asteroids might work well against medium-sized asteroids and comets between 164 and 492 feet in diameter.

However, some experts said that the resulting rock fragments could make the situation worse. Therefore, deflecting an asteroid may prove to be a better solution.

A Hypervelocity Asteroid Intercept Vehicle, or HAIV, the craft would be appointed with an asteroid in deep space. It consists of a leader spacecraft, which would hit the comet and create blast crater.

Around a millisecond later, a follower spacecraft carrying nuclear explosives would hit inside the crater - which will increase its effectiveness by up to 20 times.