http://www.aiaa.org/calendar/index.hfm?cal=5&id=865

AIAA's 1st Planetary Defense Conference: Protecting Earth from Asteroids
February 2004 - Exact date TBD
Los Angeles, California

Synopsis

AIAA's 1st Planetary Defense Conference: Protecting Earth from Asteroids will address technical issues associated with, and relative to, the defense of Earth from approaching near-Earth objects (comets and asteroids). This forum shall approach the threat from the perspective of three levels of warnings: 1) short term (less than 10 years warning of possible impact); 2) medium term (10 to 30 years warning); and 3) long term (>30 years warning), with an overarching intent to define several possible threat scenarios and develop potential responses for each. Focused conference topics will:

* Examine current and future detection capabilities and options;
* Consider current and future techniques, hardware, and systems available to mitigate threats;
* Discuss national and international policy implications of mounting a planetary defense effort;
* Develop recommendations for future work, strategies, and policies;
* Develop recommendations for demonstrations/experiments/near-term activities; and
* Discuss public safety and disaster preparedness implications of possible asteroid or comet impacts.

General Chair
William Ailor
The Aerospace Corporation
E-mail: william.h.ailor@aero.org

Alex R. Blackwell
University of Hawaii