Abstrakt
Planetary defense is a complex problem, not well understood by policy makers and the general public. The recent Chelyabinsk incident in Russia created temporary international attention but has failed to effectively stimulate public action.
The lack of long-term attention to cosmic hazards has resulted in limited funding to defend our planet. Hence, it is hard to realistically address this challenge and achieve the high test and operational readiness needed for an effective Planetary Defense strategy.
To address this problem, we have created a set of recommendations for the development of a Planetary Defense Program. The SSP15 Roadmap for Earth Defense Initiatives (READI) Project focused on threats for which there is only a short warning period, specifically, two years or less from detection of the object to impact.
We have provided recommendations in five areas of Planetary Defense including detection and tracking, deflection techniques, global collaboration, outreach and education, and evacuation and recovery. This paper addresses some critical facets of the problem that we think need immediate attention so we might better prepare to shield Earth from asteroid and cometary impacts.
We suggest exploring the use of certain advanced space technologies for threat mitigation, propose new models for global cooperation and present innovative approaches to public education and outreach.