The great game of asteroids

Thousands of asteroids orbit our solar system, and our planet continues to have frequent but low-impact collisions with small asteroids, and rare but high-impact collisions with larger ones.

The trouble with rubble

Curtin University-led research into the durability and age of an ancient asteroid made of rocky rubble and dust, revealed significant findings that could contribute to potentially saving the planet if one ever hurtled toward Earth.

Space invaders

The discovery of a “planet killer” asteroid named 2022 AP7 on the other side of the sun highlights the need to track and potentially disrupt near Earth objects which could pose a threat in the future.

Playing asteroids with asteroids

NASA aims to complete the world’s first full-scale planetary defense mission on September 26 to test the concept of deflecting asteroids on collision course with Earth.

Planning Earth’s defence against cosmic objects

A large asteroid or comet on track for Earth would be a global threat and it would require national and international efforts to stop it.

Keep watching the skies!

If an asteroid threat emerged, Earth would need to be ready and scientists are continually working to give the planet the best range of defensive strategies.

How an asteroid near-miss shocked the UN

Spurred by a near miss, the world built an alert system to detect #asteroids heading for Earth, but if one were found it’s not clear who would decide what to do next.

The amateur asteroid hunters giving NASA a run for its money

Even with millions in funding and super high-tech equipment, the world’s space agencies need a helping hand from people at home to track down near earth asteroids.

Planet wars

The DART mission to test the redirection of an asteroid is billed as potentially planet-saving, but in the wrong hands the technique has seriously destructive potential.

Asteroid hunting

Although the end of the world is far more likely to emerge from a Russian ICBM silo than the skies above at the moment, Australia can play a useful role in searching for potential planet killers from the asteroid belt.