According to data from a worldwide network of sensors designed to detect nuclear explosions, more asteroids have impacted Earth over the past decade than experts had predicted. Sensor readings from the network, known as the International Monitoring System reportedly indicate that there have been 26 large explosions bigger that a kiloton of TNT caused by asteroid impacts since the year 2001.

According to data from a worldwide network of sensors designed to detect nuclear explosions, more asteroids have impacted Earth over the past decade than experts had believed.

The B612 Foundation, working with Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., has plans for a space telescope called the Sentinal Infrared Space Telescope Mission that has an estimated price tag of 400 million dollars and will be used to spot asteroids near our planet.

Sensor readings from the network, known as the International Monitoring System reportedly indicate that there have been 26 explosions with more power than a kiloton of TNT caused by asteroid impacts since the year 2001.

B612 Foundation CEO and former astronaut Ed Lu is quoted as saying: “It shows that asteroid impacts are not rare, but actually three to 10 times more common than we previously thought. The goal of the B612 Sentinel mission is to find and track asteroids decades before they hit Earth, allowing us to easily deflect them.”

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA, might support the project, which is scheduled to be completed in 2018.

But for now, it is dependent on monetary contributions from supporters like the rock band called Broken Bells, who are donating one dollar from every ticket sold to the development of the Sentinel mission.