Actually, no one knows what the hazard is, so stop trying to tell me that you do. If it's anything like its been for the last 5,000 years, then we're way underfunded, and either the US will lead, or the EU, Russia, and China will.

The first emperor of China was killed by impact, and Tunguska and Sikhote Alin in Russia were hit recently. The Chiemgau impact, the Kaali impact, and Bazas and Volsinii are going to drive Europe.

Europeans only came to the Americas some 400 to 300 years ago, and historical memory beyond that in the States is zero right now. Perhaps someday soon the newcomers will finally be able to hear what the locals have been trying to tell them. We'll see...

The Apollo 11 plaque reads: "We came in peace for all mankind", and it would be nice if the US led the next step, but that does not have to be the way it happens. It's up to W to issue the invites, and he's going to need firm congessional commitment to send them out. That's how we get the costs down.

As to Dr Mazanek and the Langley team, if you have problems with their analysis then state them, and do not engage in baseless character attacks on all of them. In my opinion, a major institutional problem we have right now in this area is that their analysis is not being used by the private sector firms in their first system engineering studies.

EP