NSS Space Forum - How Science Keeps Earth Safe from Hazardous Asteroids - Jonathan Dagle

National Space Society Space Forum
Thursday, June 22, 2023
How Science Keeps Earth Safe from Hazardous Asteroids
Jonathan Dagle
Technologist, Futurist, and Strategist
NSS Policy Chair and Planetary Defense Policy Manager

Saving Earth from asteroids is likely not high in most people’s thought processes. But the danger is real as there are about 1,000 asteroids a kilometer or more in diameter that cross Earth’s orbit (the path Earth takes around the Sun). It is estimated that about a third of these will eventually hit Earth. The most recent major hit occurred on 15 February 2013 when the Chelyabinsk meteor entered Earth’s atmosphere over Russia.

The asteroid was not detected before its atmospheric entry, in part because its source direction was close to the Sun. The blast from this asteroid’s shock wave broke windows nearly 60 miles away and caused about 1,500 people to be injured seriously enough to seek medical treatment. Had this asteroid struck a major population center the devastation would have been horrendous.

The reality is that if we don't do something, sooner or later Earth will be hit by an asteroid large enough to cause enormous destruction and even threaten life on Earth. The National Space Society has identified “Defending Earth: Protecting humanity from dangerous space objects” as one of its major goals. NSS is also working to urge Congress to address the threats of near-Earth objects. With the success of NASA’s DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) mission that changed the orbit of asteroid Dimorphous, more efforts are being made by NASA and other researchers to combat these threats, including the development of a telescope that will spot these asteroids before they find us.

Enjoy this exciting and informative space forum featuring Jonathan Dagle, the NSS Policy Chair and Planetary Defense Policy Manager. Jonathan provides an overview of the asteroid threat, how planetary defense works in practice, and what's on the horizon.

Jonathan Dagle is a technologist, futurist, and strategist. He helps organizations craft strategies and implement technologies to better achieve their goals. A retired Air Force officer with diverse, international experiences, Jon has served as a bombing range manager in Germany, an air combat operations planner, an aircrew instructor, strategist at Air Force “Checkmate,” and created the Air National Guard’s strategy division. He participated in several war-games, managed and participated in think tank research studies, and consulted on several Army War College studies.

Jonathan is the Policy Chair and Planetary Defense Policy Manager for the National Space Society. He is responsible for overseeing the development of NSS positions on legislation and other space matters. He also leads the development of planetary defense policy. He represents NSS as a board member of the Alliance for Space Development.

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