[meteorite-list] 2007 Planetary Defense Conference

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Mar 9 11:51:11 2006
Message-ID: <200603091649.k29Gn5I20560_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.aero.org/conferences/planetarydefense/index.html

2007 Planetary Defense Conference

March 5-8, 2007
George Washington University
Washington, D.C.

The objective of the conference is to develop a white paper that
assesses the current state of our ability to discover and track near
earth objects (NEOs - objects that could possibly impact Earth) and our
ability to successfully deflect a threatening object should one be
detected. Included will be recommendations on:

    * What must be done to enhance our ability to discover threatening
      objects?
    * What sizes of objects pose the greatest threat and what are the
      options available for deflecting an object?
    * How can a deflection mission be designed to ensure the highest
      probability of success?
    * What political, policy, and legal actions would be required?
    * How public confidence in our ability to mount a successful
      mitigation mission can be enhanced?
    * How should we prepare for and respond to an impact-related disaster?

The conference will follow a systems approach to planetary defense,
similar to that followed for the 2004 Planetary Defense Conference (see
www.planetarydefense.info). Topics to be discussed include:

    * Current activities and status of efforts to discover and track
      NEOs, asteroids and comets that cross the Earth's orbit and could
      one day be a threat.
    * Updates from Deep Impact and other recent missions.
    * How a NEO impact might affect Earth and our environment and how
      the risk varies as a function of object size.
    * The engineering aspects of the problem - what are our options for
      deflecting an oncoming body?
    * What would a deflection mission look like? What can we do if an
      object on a collision course is discovered today?
    * What are critical nonengineering aspects of the problem? How would
      we prepare the public for an impact or a mitigation mission? What
      are the political, policy, and legal issues that would affect the
      approval and execution of a mission? How should we prepare for and
      respond to a disaster of this type?
    * How should international activities and capabilities be
      coordinated and incorporated into an overall deflection effort?

Sponsors include The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics,
The Aerospace Corporation, Space Science Institute.
Received on Thu 09 Mar 2006 11:49:05 AM PST