Final report from the Ad-Hoc Task Force on Planetary Defense to the NASA Advisory Council presented on January 11, 2011 (Co-Chairs of Task Force: Dr. Tom Jones and Mr. Rusty Schweickart). This is essentially a summary of the report developed and finalized last year.
Conclusions from the report:
- NASA has strong foundation for understanding NEO hazard and building a long-term capability to counter NEO impact threat
- NASA has 2 of 3 elements to prevent future damaging impacts: (1) Search, track, warning and (2) deep space ops capability
- Actual technology demos being studied, part of future missions
- Missing 3rd element is international readiness; NASA should lead
- To do so requires NASA to develop practical means of altering NEO orbit
- W/O search/detection of smaller NEOs; orbit alteration; lead global deflection efforts, U.S. can only evacuate & respond post-impact
- NASA should begin now to forge its NEO capacities into global example of how to shield against future impact
Link: Briefing to Ad-Hoc Task Force on Planetary Defense
