However, Kumamoto noted that our physical interactions with celestial bodies remain very limited.
"The number of asteroids we've actually touched, you can count on your fingers," said Kumamoto.
Spotting these objects requires specialized technology, as their non-reflective surfaces make them difficult to isolate against the backdrop of space.
NASA plans to launch the Near-Earth Object Surveyor space telescope to find at least two-thirds of potentially hazardous asteroids during its five-year mission.
The mission will utilize sensitive infrared detectors to flag asteroids approaching a one percent probability threshold for Earth impact.
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"Zero is where we want to be," said Kumamoto. She added that increased telescope sensitivity will inevitably reveal more space rocks that require close monitoring.
