Achieving Early Warning for Near-Earth Object Threats

The hazard posed by Near-Earth Object (NEO) impacts on Earth is an extreme case of a low-likelihood, high consequence event. And yet, this is perhaps the only example of a natural disaster that can be wholly preventable, given appropriate preparation. For this problem the preparation must include both an early warning system and the ability to react in a timely manner to avert the impact. This presentation will focus on the former, starting with a background on the NEO hazard problem, including a primer on NEOs, and a discussion of how often NEOs strike the Earth and what the associated consequences could be. We will then review current and planned efforts to detect and recognize threatening objects as early as possible in order to be able to react in time to prevent any impending collisions. Finally, we will review a few examples of past potential (and actual) impact warnings.