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                 Planetary Defense Conference:
                Protecting Earth from Asteroids

                  February 23-26 (M-Th), 2004
                      Hyatt Orange County
                   Garden Grove, California 

The Planetary Defense Conference, sponsored by the American Institute 
of Aeronautics and Astronautics and The Aerospace Corporation, will 
address key technical issues associated with defending Earth from 
approaching near Earth objects (comets and asteroids). The threat will 
be approached from three warning levels: short-term (less than ten 
years warning); medium-term (ten to 30 years warning); and long-term 
(more than 30 years warning). The conference intends to define several 
possible threat scenarios and develop potential responses to each. 
Focused conference topics include: 

 o examining current and future detection capabilities and options 

 o considering current and future techniques, hardware and systems 
   that are available to mitigate threats 

 o discussing national and international policy implications of 
   mounting a planetary defense effort 

 o developing recommendations for future work, strategies, and 
 policies 

 o developing recommendations for demonstrations, experiments, and
   near-term activities 

 o discussing public safety and disaster preparedness implications of
   possible asteroid or comet impacts. 

Technical paper abstracts are currently being accepted electronically 
through AIAA's Web site at http://www.aiaa.org. 

http://www.aero.org/conferences/planetdef/

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