NASA and ESA Leading Efforts in Planetary Defense Against Asteroid Threats
NASA and ESA are at the forefront of protecting Earth from potential asteroid impacts. Recent missions have demonstrated the ability to alter the course of asteroids, showcasing advancements in planetary defense technology. Military forces monitor outer space, but the responsibility for planetary defense lies with space agencies and international organizations. Efforts include tracking asteroids, conducting simulations, and developing strategies to deflect potential threats.

The impact of an asteroid from outer space on Earth is a real risk. Depending on its size, it could cause catastrophic damage, mass extinctions, and alter living conditions, as seen in the past. Fortunately, preventing such collisions is possible today. The European Space Agency's scientist, Michael Kueppers, states that Earth's collision with a celestial body is the only natural disaster we can prevent.
NATO and allied nations, including Spain, monitor outer space. However, planetary defense is not under military control but is managed by space agencies and organizations like the International Asteroid Warning Network and the Space Mission Planning Advisory Group.
Space agencies like NASA, ESA, China, and Japan work on deflecting asteroids. NASA's DART mission successfully changed an asteroid's orbit in 2022. ESA's Hera mission will verify the results in 2026.
Methods for deflecting asteroids include kinetic impactors and ion beam herding. The use of nuclear charges is a last resort. Most near-Earth objects can be deflected with current technologies.
According to the source: Atalayar.
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