Entertainment
Bruce Willis ‘turned down Nasa invite’ to watch rocket launch straight out of Armageddon
Bruce Willis didn’t fancy watching (Picture: Getty Images)
Bruce Willis turned down an invite from Nasa to watch the launch of a rocket that sounds very much like something out of his film Armageddon.
Sounds like he did want to miss a thing.
On Wednesday morning, Nasa launched its first test mission to redirect a non threatening asteroid – basically the plot to the iconic 1998 film.
According to Deadline, the department’s administrator, Bill Nelson, said he invited Bruce, 66, to the big launch but that he won’t be there.
Nelson added of the actor’s role in Armageddon: ‘We didn’t want to miss that connection.’
At 1:21am EST in Los Angeles, Elon Musk’s SpaceX launched the mission from the Vandenberg Space Force Base.
It marks the launch of Nasa’s DART strategy (Picture: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times / Getty)
The event marks the launch of Nasa’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART).
According to Nasa, the strategy ‘will impact a known asteroid that is not a threat to Earth.
‘Its goal is to slightly change the asteroid’s motion in a way that can be accurately measured using ground-based telescopes.’
Nelson previously said: ‘DART is turning science fiction into science fact and is a testament to NASA’s proactivity and innovation for the benefit of all.
‘In addition to all the ways NASA studies our universe and our home planet, we’re also working to protect that home, and this test will help prove out one viable way to protect our planet from a hazardous asteroid should one ever be discovered that is headed toward Earth.’
More: US Showbiz news
Armageddon, which popularised the Aerosmith hit I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing, follows a misfit team of deep-core drillers who attempt to save the planet.
Directed by Michael Bay, it starred Bruce alongside Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler, Steve Buscemi, Billy Bob Thornton.
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