A catastrophic meteor shower strikes Earth, destroying the Space Shuttle Atlantis in orbit before bombarding major cities, including Boston, Philadelphia, Moncton, Halifax, Newfoundland, and New York City. New York suffers massive destruction. NASA investigates and discovers the meteors were pushed out of the asteroid belt due to a collision with a rogue comet. This collision has also dislodged a colossal asteroid, approximately the size of Texas, on a direct collision course with Earth. With only 18 days until impact, scientists estimate the asteroid’s impact will cause an extinction-level event, wiping out all life on the planet.
NASA devises a high-stakes plan to destroy the asteroid. The plan involves landing a team of specialists on the asteroid’s surface to drill a deep hole, place a nuclear bomb inside, and detonate it to split the asteroid in half, ensuring the pieces bypass Earth. To execute this daring mission, NASA recruits Harry Stamper (Bruce Willis), a third-generation oil driller and owner of a highly skilled drilling company. Harry agrees to lead the operation but insists on assembling his own team of trusted employees to perform the drilling.
Harry handpicks his crew, including his loyal right-hand man Chick Chapel; geologists Rockhound and Oscar Choice; and drillers Bear Curlene, Freddie Noonan, Max Lennert, and A.J. Frost. A.J., who is dating Harry’s daughter Grace, faces Harry’s disapproval but is still included in the team. Over the next 12 days, the crew undergoes rigorous astronaut training under the guidance of NASA’s team, including Willie Sharp, who will pilot the shuttle Freedom. A second shuttle, Independence, will accompany them on the mission.
Before their departure, the crew members tie up personal matters. Chick visits his ex-wife to apologize for his past mistakes and briefly sees his son, who does not know he is his father. A.J. proposes to Grace, who happily accepts, despite Harry’s initial reservations. Grace asks Harry to promise he will return safely with A.J. as her future husband. Meanwhile, another meteor strike obliterates Shanghai, and news of the asteroid becomes public, spreading panic worldwide.
The two space shuttles launch without incident and dock at the Russian space station Mir to refuel. During the operation, a leaky fuel line ignites, triggering a massive fire. In the chaos, A.J. and Russian cosmonaut Lev Andropov barely manage to escape aboard Independence before the station is consumed by flames and destroyed.
As the shuttles approach the asteroid, they encounter a dangerous debris field. Independence is struck and crashes onto the asteroid’s surface, killing most of its crew. Only A.J., Bear, and Lev survive. The trio salvages an Armadillo drilling vehicle from the wreckage and begins their journey across the asteroid to reunite with the Freedom crew. Meanwhile, Freedom manages to land, though it overshoots its intended landing site by 26 miles.
The drilling operation on Freedom begins, but progress is slower than expected. The challenges of working on the asteroid’s harsh surface and unpredictable terrain make it difficult to reach the necessary depth. As time runs out, Sharp communicates to NASA that the team may not complete the mission before “Zero Barrier”—the critical moment when detonating the bomb will no longer be effective. The U.S. President, fearing mission failure, orders the bomb to be remotely detonated from Earth, disregarding the warnings of the Freedom crew.
On the asteroid, Sharp and Harry clash over the decision, leading to a heated confrontation. However, Harry convinces Sharp to defuse the bomb, pledging to complete the drilling in time. The crew pushes forward with the operation, but a volatile gas pocket explodes, destroying the Armadillo and killing Max. With hope dwindling, another massive meteor strike destroys Paris, causing widespread destruction on Earth. Just as all seems lost, A.J., Bear, and Lev arrive in the second Armadillo, bringing renewed hope to the mission.
A.J. resumes drilling and successfully reaches the required depth to plant the nuclear bomb. However, a storm of debris damages the bomb’s remote detonator, rendering it inoperable. This forces the team to confront the grim reality that someone must stay behind to manually detonate the bomb. The crew draws straws, and A.J. is chosen to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Harry accompanies A.J. to the bomb site, but in a heartbreaking moment, he disables A.J.’s air supply and forces him back into the shuttle. Harry tells A.J. he considers him the son he never had and gives him his blessing to marry Grace. With a tearful goodbye, Harry takes on the responsibility of detonating the bomb.
As Freedom prepares for departure, the crew faces additional complications during takeoff. Harry communicates one last time with Grace, assuring her of his love and expressing his pride in her. Just moments before Zero Barrier, Harry successfully detonates the bomb, splitting the asteroid and saving Earth from annihilation.
The surviving crew of Freedom returns to Earth as heroes. Grace and A.J. reunite in an emotional embrace, and Chick reconciles with his ex-wife and son. During the film’s credits, A.J. and Grace are shown getting married, with photos of Harry and the other fallen crew members displayed in memoriam, honoring their sacrifice.
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