Why did NASA only discover the asteroid with 18 days left?

Armageddon (1998)

At 0:10:00

Verdict: Contested. 54% of viewers say this is dumb. Top defense: Some viewers accept it as a once-in-history miss that the story needs, and nothing in the film tries to excuse it.

Contested
54% dumb46% explained

820 votes

Dumbness rating

6.4/ 10(820 ratings)
Plot holeConvenient coincidence

Your verdict

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Rating distribution

What happens in this scene

A shower of debris destroys a shuttle and strikes New York. NASA tracks the source to a giant asteroid on a collision course with Earth. The film says the asteroid will hit in 18 days.

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Reviews 3

nopeanut_ninaSupporter7/10Oct 29, 2026

Says dumb

An object that large would be tracked for years. The film does not explain why this one slipped through, and a short line about it would have helped.

ben_the_skepticSupporter5/10AI rewriteSep 4, 2026

Says explained

The movie begins with a premise and moves on. The asteroid is hidden by debris and a cloud and no one sees it until later.

harbor_lightsFounding Critic #58Supporter6/10Jul 11, 2026

Says dumb

I can accept an early miss, but a delay this large makes me doubt the agency in the film. It could be helped with one scene of a missed warning.

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Actually, it’s explained

Top defense
Some viewers accept it as a once-in-history miss that the story needs, and nothing in the film tries to excuse it.
  • DumbScenesStaff9 months ago

    Some viewers accept it as a once-in-history miss that the story needs, and nothing in the film tries to excuse it.

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Quick Fix

Fixes are written by people. The smallest change, in 200 characters or fewer, that would have fixed the scene. AI is used only for duplicate detection, length and moderation.

Add a line

Add a scene where an astronomer says a funding cut shut down the survey that would have found it. The film then has a villain.

Would this fix it?
82% say yes
script_doctor_samSupporter2 months ago

A newer idea

Swap a detail

Make it a comet that appears from the dark side of the sun. Short notice is then expected.

Would this fix it?
65% say yes
nopeanut_ninaSupporter5 weeks ago

Suggest a fix

Also asked as

  • How did NASA miss the asteroid?
  • Why was there so little warning in Armageddon?