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| | | | | | | | | Comparative sizes of asteroids | |
Cosmic impacts
In the past, asteroids and comets have often collided with the Earth without warning, causing regional or global disasters. Impacts may be predictable in future, or even averted. Spaceguard, sponsored by ESA, coordinates 80 asteroid-hunting centres worldwide. Telescopes in space will accelerate the detection of near-Earth objects. ESA’s Gaia mission will find dozens as a by-product of mapping the billion brightest stars in the sky, while BepiColombo, orbiting Mercury, will have a special view of asteroids inside the Earth’s orbit. Inspections of asteroids and comets at close range give a better understanding of the physical threat -- tasks for ESA’s Rosetta mission.
Last update: 12 March 2002 | |
| | Related links Spaceguard, RomeESA meeting on near-Earth objects, May 2000ESA's Rosetta websiteESA's Gaia websiteESA's BepiColombo website
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