From: mark <whitroth at 5-cent.us>
Subject: [WSFA] A taste of the Real 21st century: NASA Planetary Defense Office set
 up to save Earth
To: WSFA Official List <wsfa-forum at yahoogroups.com>,
 WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>, bsfsgeneral <bsfsgeneral at bsfs.org>,
 "gt-pfrc at ml.gt.org" <gt-pfrc at ml.gt.org>
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 2016 20:53:14 -0500
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>

Excerpt:
This has got to be the coolest job in the world.

NASA has set up a Planetary Defense Coordination Office -- to defend the
Earth from asteroids and comets that get too close for our comfort.

The department, which includes the position of Planetary Defense Officer,
is managed by the Planetary Science Division of the Science Mission
Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington DC. And its mission
includes the early detection of potentially hazardous objects (PHOs) --
asteroids and comets which get within 0.05 Astronomical Units of Earth's
orbit around the sun (7.5 million kilometers) and are large enough,
greater than around 30 - 50 meters (98 - 164 feet), to reach the Earth's
surface.

They must also track and issue warnings on the minor planets, or even try
to redirect them. If it's too late and space rubble is found hurtling
towards the Earth's surface, the team will coordinate with the U.S.
government to plan a response to an actual impact threat.
<...>
"Asteroid detection, tracking and defense of our planet is something that
NASA, its interagency partners, and the global community take very
seriously," said John Grunsfeld, associate administrator for NASA's
Science Mission Directorate in Washington.
--- end excerpt ---

<http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/13/world/nasa-planetary-defense/>

        mark