SWF Working to Build Global Warning Network for Asteroid Impacts

The Secure World Foundation, in coordination with the Association for Space Explorers (ASE), held a successful workshop in Mexico City from 18 to 20 January, 2010, on the topic of providing global warning and prediction of potential asteroid impact threats.

The workshop was organized on the recommendation of Action Team-14, a group established in within the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) Scientific and Technical Subcommittee in 2001 for the purposes of addressing the asteroid impact threat.

In 2008, ASE submitted a report entitled "Asteroid Threats: A Call for Global Response" to Action Team-14 which was the result of two years of work and consultation with international experts. This ASE report recommended establishing three entities to deal with the NEO impact problem: an Information Analysis and Warning Network (IAWN) to provide global warning and technical analysis, a Mission Planning and Operations Group (MPOG) to plan, organize, and conduct any necessary missions to threatening asteroids, and a Mission Authorization and Oversight Group (MAOG) to provide decision making.


The Mexico City workshop brought together a group of international experts to specifically discuss the mission, responsibility, and creation of the IAWN entity. The workshop resulted in a set of recommendations which will be briefed at the meeting of UN COPOUS: Scientific and Technical Subcommittee in February 2010 and submitted to Action Team-14 for consideration.