Planerary Asteroid Defense Study

PLANETARY ASTEROID DEFENSE STUDY:
ASSESSING AND RESPONDING TO THE NATURAL SPACE DEBRIS
THREAT
by
Perry Monroe
April 2002.ii
Disclaimer
The views expressed in this academic research paper are those of the authors and
do not reflect the official policy or position of the US Government or the Department of
Defense..iii
Preface
Interest in developing an asteroid defense system, intensified by the impact of
comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 with Jupiter in 1994, continues to grow by leaps and bounds.
Many major US publications such as Newsweek, Time, Ad Astra, Technology Review,
Nature and even The Economist have run extensive articles on the subject. However, the
interest goes well beyond the United States and the press. Russia, Italy, and Australia
have recently hosted conferences on the asteroid threat and the United Nations will host
one of its own in April of this year.
Because of public interest, and at the urging of scientists and astronomers, the US
Congress commissioned the...