When It Strikes, Are We Ready? Lessons Identified at the 7th Planetary Defense Conference in Preparing for a Near-Earth Object Impact Scenario

Shirish Ravan; Tom De Groeve; Lara Mani; Einar Bjorgo; Richard Moissl; Jose Miguel Roncero; Katherine Rowan; David Schuld; Leviticus A. Lewis; Romana Kofler

doi:10.1007/s13753-021-00389-9

Volume 13 Issue 1

Mar. 2022

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Article Navigation > International Journal of Disaster Risk Science > 2022 > 13(1): 151-159

Shirish Ravan, Tom De Groeve, Lara Mani, Einar Bjorgo, Richard Moissl, Jose Miguel Roncero, Katherine Rowan, David Schuld, Leviticus A. Lewis, Romana Kofler. When It Strikes, Are We Ready? Lessons Identified at the 7th Planetary Defense Conference in Preparing for a Near-Earth Object Impact Scenario[J]. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 2022, 13(1): 151-159. doi: 10.1007/s13753-021-00389-9

Citation:

Shirish Ravan, Tom De Groeve, Lara Mani, Einar Bjorgo, Richard Moissl, Jose Miguel Roncero, Katherine Rowan, David Schuld, Leviticus A. Lewis, Romana Kofler. When It Strikes, Are We Ready? Lessons Identified at the 7th Planetary Defense Conference in Preparing for a Near-Earth Object Impact Scenario[J]. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 2022, 13(1): 151-159. doi: 10.1007/s13753-021-00389-9

Citation:

Shirish Ravan, Tom De Groeve, Lara Mani, Einar Bjorgo, Richard Moissl, Jose Miguel Roncero, Katherine Rowan, David Schuld, Leviticus A. Lewis, Romana Kofler. When It Strikes, Are We Ready? Lessons Identified at the 7th Planetary Defense Conference in Preparing for a Near-Earth Object Impact Scenario[J]. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 2022, 13(1): 151-159. doi: 10.1007/s13753-021-00389-9

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When It Strikes, Are We Ready? Lessons Identified at the 7th Planetary Defense Conference in Preparing for a Near-Earth Object Impact Scenario

doi: 10.1007/s13753-021-00389-9

1 United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), United Nations, 1220 Vienna, Austria;
2. European Commission Joint Research Centre, 21027 Ispra, Italy;
3. Centre for the Study of Existential Risk, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1SB, UK;
4. Division for Satellite Analysis, United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), 1202 Geneva, Switzerland;
5. European Space Agency/European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESA/ESTEC), 2201 AZ Noordwijk, The Netherlands;
6. Security and Situational Awareness Unit, European Commission’s Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, 1049 Brussels, Belgium;
7. Department of Communication, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA;
8. Hagerty Consulting, Evanston, IL 60201, USA;
9. Response Operations Division, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington, DC 20024, USA

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This report is the result of one among many dedicated panels at the 2021 International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) Planetary Defense Conference (PDC), 26–30 April 2021, in Vienna, Austria, hosted by the United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA).Our acknowledgment goes to those organizations as well as to the 2021 IAA PDC Organizing Committee.The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of their organizations/affiliations.

Available Online: 2022-03-04

Abstract

Abstract

Near-Earth object (NEO) impact is one of the examples of high impact and low probability (HILP) event, same as the Covid-19 pandemic the world faces since the beginning of 2020. The 7th Planetary Defense Conference held by the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) in April 2021 included an exercise on a hypothetical NEO impact event, allowing the planetary defense community to discuss potential responses. Over the span of the 4-day conference this exercise connected disaster response and management professionals to participate in a series of panels, providing feedback and perspective on the unfolding crisis scenario. The hypothetical but realistic asteroid threat scenario illustrated how such a short-warning threat might evolve. The scenario utilized during the conference indicates a need to prepare now for what might come in the future, because even with advance notice, preparation time might be minimal. This scenario chose Europe for the impact, which may likely cope with such a disaster, through the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) and other solidarity and support mechanisms within the European Union (EU), as well as with potential support from international partners. This short article raises concern about other areas in the world on how they may access NEO impact information and cope with such disasters. It also provides an idea on vast scale of such disaster vis-à-vis the current capacity of response systems to cope with a larger event in Europe or elsewhere. This scenario showed that planetary defense is a global endeavor. Constant engagement of the planetary defense and disaster response communities is essential in order to keep the world safe from potential disasters caused by NEO impacts.
- Asteroid threats,
- Disaster risk reduction,
- Planetary defense,
- Risk management and prevention

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