Celebrating International Asteroid Day – Shedding Light on the Importance and Impact of Space on Earth
International Asteroid Day is an annual global event observed on June 30th, in a number of countries around the world, including India which is dedicated to spreading awareness about the potential impact of asteroids on Earth and the importance of space exploration. The theme for this year’s Asteroid Day is “education on asteroids and space highlighting the importance and impact of space ‘Down to Earth’”.
Established in 2014, the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) and the Space Mission Planning Advisory Group (SMPAG) work together to address the asteroid impact hazard. IAWN assists governments in analysing the consequences of an asteroid impact, and SMPAG identifies technologies necessary for near-Earth object deflection. This event is sponsored by the Luxembourg Space Agency and aims to inspire individuals to learn more about space and its potential benefits for our planet.
“It is important for us to understand asteroids for all kinds of reasons. They are leftovers from the time the solar system formed 4.5 billion years ago, meaning samples of them give us insight into our origins,” says Dr Thomas Zega, Professor, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona. “Until recently, we have only had samples of asteroids in the form of meteorites. But as they fall from the sky, we may not know their exact origins. Now, thanks to sample-return missions, we can determine the exact asteroid and specific location from which they originated. Some asteroids are also potentially hazardous, and so such missions also provide us with new information on their orbits that could allow us to mitigate any future impact.”
He further adds, “The things we learn by studying asteroids, whether in the laboratory, remotely with telescopes, or through sample-return missions help to educate scientists and the public on our origins, providing a direct connection to the theme of Asteroid Day 2023, i.e., education on asteroids and space and highlights the importance and impact of space Down to Earth.”
Asteroid Day is a global event that includes astronaut and expert school visits, the Asteroid Day Space Lecture, and the new Asteroid Day Festival.