NASA Science Live: International Asteroid Day | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

NASA scientists discuss upcoming missions and technologies aimed at studying and protecting Earth from asteroids, highlighting the variety and importance of these rocky artifacts.

Key Insights

• ❓ Asteroids are geological remnants of the solar system, offering valuable insights into our cosmic history.
• 🦖 NASA has multiple missions, such as Osiris-Rex and Psyche, aimed at studying different types of asteroids.
• 👻 Sample return missions allow scientists to study asteroid material in detail that cannot be achieved through spacecraft observations alone.
• ☣️ Finding and monitoring asteroids is crucial for planetary defense and mitigating potential hazards to Earth.
• 💥 Technologies like gravity tractors and spacecraft impact can be used to deflect asteroids from collision courses with Earth.
• 🎟️ Upcoming missions, such as DART, will test deflection techniques and help prepare for potential asteroid threats in the future.
• 👾 Asteroids also offer potential resources for deep space exploration, such as water for fuel refueling stations.

Transcript

hello and welcome to another episode of nasa science live my name is brie hill and i'm a public affairs specialist at nasa headquarters as well as your host for today's episode today is international asteroid day and here at nasa we're watching the skies 24 7. and although today is dedicated to raise awareness about asteroids and what we're doing t... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: Why does NASA study asteroids?

Asteroids provide valuable information about the formation and history of the solar system, and studying them helps us understand our own planet's origins.

Q: Are all asteroids the same?

No, asteroids formed at varying distances from the sun and have different compositions, sizes, and shapes, providing unique insights into the diversity of processes that occurred in our solar system.

Q: Do any of the asteroids studied by spacecraft pose a hazard to Earth?

Currently, none of the asteroids visited by spacecraft pose a specific hazard to Earth. However, about 100 tons of extraterrestrial material falls on Earth every day, mostly as harmless dust.

Q: How does NASA find and characterize near-earth objects?

NASA uses powerful telescopes on the ground and in space to find and track asteroids. Scientists calculate the orbit and size of asteroids and make follow-up observations to determine their composition.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Asteroids are remnants of the solar system's formation, and studying them can provide insights into the history and formation of our solar system.

• NASA has multiple spacecraft studying asteroids because they are not all the same, with each bearing the fingerprints of distinct processes that occurred in different parts of the solar system.

• There are no known asteroid threats to Earth in the next 100 years, but NASA is actively searching for asteroids and developing technologies for deflection if necessary.