FORMER PROGRAMS

Near-Earth Objects: Properties, Detection, Resources, Impacts and Defending Earth

14 May - 08 June 2018

Andreas Burkert, Camilla Colombo, Robert Jedicke, Detlef Koschny, Richard Wainscoat

This programme will bring together an international group of experts in the fields of asteroid properties, detection, in-situ resource utilisation, orbit analysis, impact hazard assessment, and planetary defence, in combination with specialists from ESA and NASA and risk management organisations, to (i) identify how to dramatically reduce the current uncertainties in the number, orbital distribution and physical properties of asteroids that limit the determination of the Earth impact risk, (ii) clarify what is needed to generate a complete inventory of all asteroids that could impact Earth within the next century, (iii) estimate the availability of resources extracted from NEOs as a function of the delta-v required to return the material to near-Earth space and identify the most promising candidates, (iv) assess current limitations to impact risk assessment, and (v) evaluate and optimise strategies to deflect asteroids that could impact Earth. The conclusions of this programme will be summarised in a white paper with recommendations for future work and coordination for NASA, ESA, and other space agencies, the UN-sanctioned International Asteroid Warning Network and the Space Mission Planning Advisory Group (IAWN and SMPAG), and other interested organisations.