NASA’s Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous - Shoemaker (NEAR Shoemaker) spacecraft studied the near Earth asteroid Eros during up-close observations in 2000-2001. Credit: NASA/Applied Physics Laboratory
The NASA Advisory Council’s Ad-Hoc Task Force on Planetary Defense is grappling with a set of recommendations – one of which could have the space agency set up a coordination office to help protect Earth from Near Earth Objects (NEOs).
A special seven-person task force includes former astronauts, Russell Schweickart and Tom Jones. The two space travelers are co-chairs of the ad-hoc study group.
Among the topics the task force is reviewing as possible recommendations to NASA leadership:
— A Planetary Defense Coordination Office should be set up within the space agency.
— To help speed up observations of potentially menacing NEOs, a space-based infrared detector spacecraft, placed into a “Venus-like orbit” should be considered.
— Given a new coordination role in the NEO issue, NASA needs to initiate dialogue with emergency responders and disaster management agencies – including the Department of Homeland Security. Furthermore, NASA should outreach to other space agencies and other groups on an international basis to help shape detection and tracking efforts, as well as consider steps to mitigate any Earth- threatening NEOs.
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy is apparently on track to meet an October 15 deadline of identifying an agency to be responsible for Near Earth Object (NEO) mitigation.
By Leonard David