KECK INSTITUTE FOR SPACE STUDIES

       

The Future of Human Spaceflight The Future of Human Spaceflight

Moving An Asteroid

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

8:00 pm to 9:30 pm
Hameetman Auditorium - Cahill Building, California Institute of Technology

Rusty Schweickart

Panelist:

Rusty Schweickart

Former Apollo Astronaut and Chair of the B612 Foundation

Tom Jones

Panelist:

Tom Jones

Former Shuttle Astronaut

John Lewis

Panelist:

John Lewis

Planetary Scientist

Bill Nye the Science Guy

Panelist:

Bill Nye the Science Guy

Executive Director of The Planetary Society

Louis Friedman

Moderator:

Louis Friedman

Executive Director, Emeritus
The Planetary Society

Public Panel Overview:

The Keck Institute for Space Studies (KISS) and The Planetary Society present a public event examining novel ideas for capturing and moving a small Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) closer to Earth. Come learn why these Near-Earth Asteroids are interesting and important objects to explore.

Capturing and moving a small NEA to a specific spot in or near-Earth orbit, perhaps to a gravitationally stable point in the Sun-Earth or Moon-Earth system, may create a stepping stone for human exploration beyond low Earth orbit, or create a target for extracting resources for space applications. The engineering and technology considerations of moving an asteroid are also advancing our knowledge of how to deflect a potentially hazardous NEA that might be on a collision course with Earth.


Presentations:

  • Rusty Schweickart, Former Apollo Astronaut and Chair of the B612 Foundation (pdf)
  • Dr. Tom Jones, Former Shuttle Astronaut (pdf)
  • Bill Nye the Science Guy, Executive Director of The Planetary Society (pdf)


Video: