Status of NEOShield and future perspectives

Modeling and computer simulations can give us some confidence, but there’s no substitute for proving we can move an asteroid by actually doing it. NEOShield funding does not stretch to launching a space mission but we aim to provide detailed designs of feasible mitigation demonstration missions, at least of the kinetic impactor and/or gravity tractor methods. Together with colleagues at ESA (SSA programme), the UN (COPUOS, Action Team 14 on NEOs), NASA, the European Commission, etc. we are working to establish a long-term program, including asteroid deflection demonstration missions.