This area will cover relevant news of the threat to the planet from Near Earth Objects (NEOs) including concepts and designs for mitigation. All opinions are those of the author.

14 February 2011

07 July 2010 or 07 July 2011 Meeting between Russia and the European Union on Joint Asteroid Mission?

Recent articles have indicated that there will be a meeting on July 7, 2011 between Russia and the European Union on a potential joint mission (to Apophis?). However articles from 2010 indicate that a similar meeting was held on July 7, 2010. Are the recent set of articles on the 2011 meeting referring instead to the 2010 meeting.

Selections from an article below that talks about a 2011 meeting...

As more astronomers are recognizing the danger, a major summit has been called. “Russian space officials and members of the European Commission will meet in early July to discuss joining forces against thousands of potentially hazardous asteroids,” Anatoly Perminov, the head of the Russian Federal Space Agency Roscosmos stated in an official press release.

A meeting scheduled for July 7, 2011 will consider a proposal to launch a joint asteroid project between Russia and the European Union.

In an interview on Russian television following the press release, Perminov said, “I received a letter, in which the European Commission proposes to meet on July 7 in Roscosmos with scientists and engineers of the Federal Space Agency, the Russian Academy of Sciences and other institutions and organizations. At the meeting, the Russian bid to start a joint project with the EU will be considered.”

Link: Article on January 31, 2011 ("Russian scientists predict asteroid strike")

link: Article on June 24, 2010 ("Russia, Europe may join forces to protect Earth from asteroids")
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