February 15 Press Conference Provides Overview of Asteroid Day 2017 (June 30) Worldwide

On February 15, 2017, Asteroid Day (a program of B612) hosted an international press conference in Luxembourg which brought together government officials, scientists, and experts in planetary defense to discuss the need for increased action to address the potential threat posed by the Earth by asteroid impacts. The press conference also addressed the scientific and economic benefits of expanding our knowledge of NEOs.

Broadcast from several locations around the world, the Asteroid Day Press Conference highlighted the efforts by business leaders and governments across the globe, in alignment with the scientific community, to raise public awareness about this preventable threat. At the press conference, B612’s Co-Founder and CEO Ed Lu emphasized the critical role that early detection of hazardous asteroids plays in the successful defense of our planet from a catastrophic event. As well, Asteroid Day Co-Founders Danica Remy, who is also B612’s COO, and Grig Richter co-moderated the day from Luxembourg.

Having been designated by the UN as an official day of recognition in the fall of 2016, the momentum behind Asteroid Day continues to grow. Lord Martin Rees, UK Astronomer Royal, astrophysicist, and B612 Strategic Advisor lauded Asteroid Day’s value in raising “the level of awareness for governments to private citizens to take action.” Veteran astronaut Dr. Tom Jones echoed the sentiment, describing Asteroid Day as an “…ideal opportunity to enlist the public in the global efforts to discover hazardous asteroids and develop detailed plans to nudge them from a collision course.”

You can watch a recording of the press conference here.