This Is NASA’s New Plan to Detect and Destroy Asteroids Before They Hit Earth

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According to Space.com (This article and its images were originally posted on Space.com June 20, 2018 at 10:31AM.)

(cover Image) Artist’s illustration of a large asteroid headed for Earth.

Credit: ESA

NASA has a plan to protect the Earth from death by asteroid, and the space agency will unveil it to the world today (June 20). But don’t panic yet, NASA says there’s no known asteroid threat right now.

 
In a 1 p.m. EDT (1700 GMT) teleconference today, NASA scientists will roll out a new report on the space agency’s strategy for tracking, and potentially deflecting, near-Earth asteroids that might one day pose a threat to our planet. You can follow the NASA asteroid defense webcast live here, courtesy of NASA Live.

 
The report, called the “National Near-Earth Object Preparedness Strategy and Action Plan,” lays out what NASA will do over the next 10 years to safeguard the Earth from potentially dangerous near-Earth objects (NEOs). [Potentially Dangerous Asteroids in Images]

 
“While no known NEOs currently pose significant risks of impact, the report is a key step to addressing a nationwide response to any future risks.” NASA officials said in a statement.

Today’s teleconference will include presentations from:

• Lindley Johnson, Planetary Defense Coordination Office, NASA Headquarters, Washington;

 

• Aaron Miles, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Washington;

 

• Leviticus Lewis, National Response Coordination Branch, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington.

NASA and scientists around the world regularly track asteroids in space to seek out any space rocks that could one day endanger the Earth.
Email Tariq Malik at tmalik@space.com or follow him @tariqjmalik. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.

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This article and its images were originally posted on [Space.com] June 20, 2018 at 10:31AM. All credit to both the author Hanneke Weitering and Space.com | ESIST.T>G>S Recommended Articles Of The Day.