9th IAA PLANETARY DEFENSE CONFERENCE 2025

The United Nations established the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN), in 2013 to coordinate worldwide organizations involved in detection, tracking, and characterization of Near-Earth Objects (NEOs). In addition, developing well-defined communication plans and protocols to assist governments in the analysis of asteroid and comet impact consequences and in the planning of mitigation...

Asteroid impacts have profoundly affected the evolution of life on Earth. Over the last 30-40 years, the field of planetary defense has identified the scope of the threat and is working to develop plans and technology to prevent asteroid impacts if possible and mitigate their effects as necessary. In particular, if an object were on a collision course with the Earth, early knowledge of key...

Observational capabilities are one of the key “pillars” of ESA’s Planetary Defence Office activities. This presentation will highlight recent developments, important results and key objectives of our follow-up efforts.

We will begin with an overview of the status and recent additions to our global network of fast-reacting facilities, which are playing a critical role in our follow-up of the...

The Goldstone Solar System Radar on NASA’s 70 meter DSS-14 antenna is the world's most sensitive planetary radar. DSS-14 is equipped with a high-power (~450 kW) radar used for observations of near-Earth asteroids (NEAs), comets, and other solar system targets. Goldstone transmits at a frequency of 8560 MHz (3.5 cm), is fully steerable, routinely tracks down to a declination of -35 degrees,...

Many newly discovered near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) are small ($<$100 m), yet they still pose significant risks if they impact Earth. Therefore, continued research and observation are crucial for the small NEA population, where characterisation significantly lags behind discovery rates. Our program at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) utilises the robotic capabilities of the...

Near-Earth Objects (NEOs), encompassing both asteroids and comets, are celestial bodies whose trajectories bring them into proximity with Earth, presenting both scientific opportunities and potential collision risks. A comprehensive investigation of their physical characteristics, dynamical behaviors, and orbital evolutions is paramount for planetary defense strategies and advancing...

The 4.3-m Lowell Discovery Telescope (LDT) is a highly efficient facility for the characterization of near-Earth objects. With multiple instruments simultaneously mounted, a combination of astrometric, photometric, and spectroscopic measurements are regularly made. Recent observations at LDT have focused on NEOs such as imminent impactors (2022 WJ1, 2024 XA1), mini-moons and lunar ejecta (2024...

In November 2024, ESA’s Planetary Defence Office (PDO) organized the EU-ESA workshop on size determination of potentially hazardous near-Earth objects, held at ESOC in Germany [1]. The workshop explored how the minor body community can improve the size determination of NEOs. For an Earth impacting object, its size is the key factor in assessing potential ground damage [2]. Newly discovered...

A critical component of planetary defense is accurately assessing the size and surface properties of potentially hazardous asteroids and impactors. Observations and modeling of an asteroid's thermal emission, which depends on its surface temperatures, lead to a direct size determination \citep{2015aste.book..107D}. Characterizing surface properties such as thermal inertia and roughness...

Abstract attached as a PDF file as required according to the guidelines.

Near-Earth object (NEO) models are a useful tool for interpreting asteroid behaviour in near-Earth space (perihelion distances < 1.3 au). They can predict many asteroid properties such the size-dependent transport from the main-belt (Granvik et al., 2018; Nesvorný et al., 2023) and the disruptive processes of low perihelia passage (Granvik et al., 2016; Wiegart et al., 2020). They can also...

Keywords: Meteorite, meteor, Asteroid, Asteroid Families, Source Regions

To date, 74 meteorite falls have been instrumentally recorded by video cameras and still photographs and their pre-impact orbit determined. Two of which are the fall of Saint-Pierre-le-Viger from asteroid 2023 CX1 in France and the meteorite Ribbeck from asteroid 2024 BX1 in Germany.

A recent review paper takes...