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Suggested Citation:"Appendix A: Letter of Request." National Research Council. 2009. Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies: Interim Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12738.
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A
Letter of Request

2 June 2008

Dr. Lennard A. Fisk

Chair,

Space Studies Board

National Research Council

Dear Dr. Fisk:

The legislative report accompanying the fiscal year 2008 omnibus appropriations bill for NASA established a requirement for the National Research Council (NRC) to undertake a two-phase study to review recent reports on near Earth object (NEO) detection and deflection and other relevant documentation, and to develop recommendations on optimal approaches to surveying the NEO population and to developing a deflection capability:

In order to assist Congress in determining the optimal approach regarding the Arecibo Observatory, NASA shall contract with the National Research Council to study the issue and make recommendations. As part of its deliberations, the NRC shall review NASA’s report 2006 Near-Earth Object Survey and Deflection Study and its associated March 2007 Near-Earth Object Survey and Deflection Study as well as any other relevant literature. An interim report, with recommendations focusing primarily on the optimal approach to the survey program, shall be submitted within 15 months of enactment of this Act. The final report including recommendations regarding the optimal approach to developing a deflection capability, shall be submitted with 21 months of enactment of this Act. The NRC study shall include an assessment of the costs of various alternatives, including options that may blend the use of different facilities (whether ground- or space-based), or involve international cooperation. Independent cost estimating should be utilized.

In accordance with this Congressional direction, we would like the NRC’s Space Studies Board (SSB) to conduct the required analysis and prepare the required two-phase report. Terms of reference for the study activity are provided in the enclosed Statement of Task. An initial report providing findings and recommendations for the first task should be submitted no later than September 30, 2009. A second report describing the final findings and recommendations of both tasks should be submitted no later than December 31, 2009.


We would like to request that the NRC submit a plan to NASA for execution of the study described herein on this schedule. Once agreement with the NRC on the scope and cost for the proposed study has been achieved, the NASA Contracting Officer will issue a task order for implementation. Mr. Lindley Johnson will be the technical point of contact for this effort, and may be reached at (202) XXX-XXXX or lindley.johnson@XXXX.

Sincerely,

James L. Green,

Director

Planetary Science Division, NASA

Craig Foltz,

Acting Director

Astronomical Science Division, NASA

Suggested Citation:"Appendix A: Letter of Request." National Research Council. 2009. Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies: Interim Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12738.
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The United States is currently the only country with an active, government-sponsored effort to detect and track potentially hazardous near-Earth objects (NEOs). Congress has mandated that NASA detect and track 90 percent of NEOs that are 1 kilometer in diameter or larger. These objects represent a great potential hazard to life on Earth and could cause global destruction. NASA is close to accomplishing this goal. Congress has more recently mandated that by 2020 NASA should detect and track 90 percent of NEOs that are 140 meters in diameter or larger, a category of objects that is generally recognized to represent a very significant threat to life on Earth if they strike in or near urban areas. Achieving this goal may require the building of one or more additional observatories, possibly including a space-based observatory.

Congress directed NASA to ask the National Research Council to review NASA's near-Earth object programs. This interim report addresses some of the issues associated with the survey and detection of NEOs. The final report will contain findings and recommendations for survey and detection, characterization, and mitigation of near-Earth objects based on an integrated assessment of the problem.

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