Near-earth object surveys and hazard mitigation strategies : interim report / / Committee to Review Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies, Space Studies Board, Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board, Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences, National Research Council

• Record Nr.: UNINA9910963965803321
• Pubbl/distr/stampa: Washington, D. C., : National Academies Press, c2009
• ISBN: 0-309-14940-1; 1-282-55452-2; 9786612554520; 0-309-14362-4
• Edizione: [1st ed.]
• Descrizione fisica: 1 online resource (41 p.)
• Disciplina: 523.5
• Soggetti: Near-Earth objects; Asteroids; Hazard mitigation
• Lingua di pubblicazione: Inglese
• Formato: Materiale a stampa
• Livello bibliografico: Monografia
• Note generali: Description based upon print version of record.
• Nota di contenuto: ""Front Matter""; ""Preface""; ""Acknowledgments""; ""Contents""; ""Interim Report on Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies""; ""Appendixes""; ""Appendix A: Letter of Request""; ""Appendix B: Statement of Task""; ""Appendix C: Committee and Staff Biographical Information""
• Sommario/riassunto: The United States is currently the only country with an active, government-sponsored effort to detect and track potentially hazardous near-Earth objects (NEOs). Congress has mandated that NASA detect and track 90 percent of NEOs that are 1 kilometer in diameter or larger. These objects represent a great potential hazard to life on Earth and could cause global destruction. NASA is close to accomplishing this goal. Congress has more recently mandated that by 2020 NASA should detect and track 90 percent of NEOs that are 140 meters in diameter or larger, a category of objects that is generally recognized to represent a very significant threat to life on Earth if they strike in or near urban ; areas. Achieving this goal may require the building of one or more additional observatories, possibly including a space-based observatory. Congress directed NASA to ask the National Research Council to review NASA's near-Earth object programs. This interim report addresses some of the issues associated with the survey and detection of NEOs. The final report will contain findings and recommendations for survey and detection, characterization, and mitigation of near-Earth objects based on an integrated assessment of the problem.