This week, the UN General Assembly approved concrete measures to help prevent asteroid disasters, as a result of discussions over 12 years by the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) and its Action Team 14 (AT-14) on Near-Earth Objects, comprised of scientific and space agency delegates from interested states and non-governmental organizations.

In 2008, ASE, an official observer at the COPUOS, with support from the Secure World Foundation, submitted to the UN a report entitled: Asteroid Threats: A Call for Global Response. The report recommended creation of an asteroid detection and warning network, a group to plan deflection missions, and an international group to oversee any needed deflection campaigns. This week the UN approved an International Asteroid Warning Network to share information on hazardous asteroid detections and impact predictions; a Space Missions Planning Advisory group to undertake joint studies of NEO deflection mission options, mission costs, and needed technologies, and a role for the UN COPUOS to consider and authorize any necessary NEO deflection campaigns.

At today’s October 25 event, the ASE challenged the global community to maintain this momentum with the following “next steps” for asteroid defense:

….

Read more on EarthSky