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What responsibilities does NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office have during a possible asteroid impact?
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Earth impact hazard
An artist's rendering of the impact of a near-Earth object 66 million years ago in what is today the Caribbean region. Many scientists think that the collision of a large asteroid or comet nucleus with Earth triggered the mass extinction of dinosaurs and many other species near the end of the Cretaceous Period.
The Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO), established by NASA in 2016, holds several key responsibilities regarding potential asteroid impacts. Its primary duties include:1
- Detection and Monitoring: The office is responsible for searching for and tracking near-Earth objects (NEOs) that could pose a threat to the planet.12
- Communication: In the event of a potential impact, the PDCO is tasked with notifying other federal agencies about the approaching object.1
- Emergency Coordination: The office works directly with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to prepare for and respond to situations where an impact is deemed unavoidable.1
- Mitigation Strategy: The PDCO oversees the development and execution of strategies to deflect dangerous asteroids. This includes experimental testing, such as the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission, which successfully demonstrated the ability to alter an asteroid's orbit.12
These efforts are part of a broader commitment to planetary defense, which aims to protect humanity from the significant risks posed by Earth impact hazards.1