NASA prepares to launch rocket into asteroid and knock it off course

Nasa is planning to deliberately crash a planetary defence probe, powered by a Falcon 9 rocket made by Elon Musk's SpaceX, into an asteroid to alter its course. — SpaceX via AP

US space agency Nasa is preparing to launch a satellite on Wednesday that will deliberately crash into an asteroid, aiming to alter its course in the first mission of its kind.

The planetary defence probe, powered by a Falcon 9 rocket made by Elon Musk's SpaceX, is set to take off at 1.20am (0620 GMT) from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.