Thread by @OU_SPS

We continue our #AsteroidDay content and, looking to the future, Prof of Planetary and Space Science, Simon Green is working on space missions that will visit asteroids in coming years.

Why? For planetary defence - how we protect Earth from impact by space rocks in the future.

One of the planetary defence missions is @NASA's DART and the other is @esa’s HERA, both looking at how to deflect asteroids on a collision course with Earth. @ESA have a great video narrated by @DrBrianMay all about how these missions are connected.

For the research side, you can check out Prof Simon Green’s research about the science behind DART and HERA for asteroid deflection.
oro.open.ac.uk/46198/

For more information about the how the European Planetary Defence activities fit within an international framework of understanding and studying near-Earth objects, then this summary diagram from @ESA is very useful.

It’s not all about turning asteroids away from us. Prof Simon Green is also involved with #SpaceMining! Sounds like science fiction, but it's fast becoming a reality, with huge global investments.

In relation to the #AsteroidMining conference, here is the final discussion, which provides a useful summary of the scientific efforts it will take to mine these space rocks.

Interested in #SpaceMining?

Here is a report that came out from the #AsteroidMining conference in 2016 on:
‘IN-SPACE UTILISATION OF ASTEROIDS: “Answers to Questions from the Asteroid Miners”’
arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/pape…

If we want to start mining asteroids then we'll probably do it robotically at first, but in the future we may use asteroids as part of human space exploration.

In this video @astroluca explains more about the human side of future asteroid space missions

To celebrate #AsteroidDay we’ve covered an overview of @OpenUniversity asteroid science and our involvement is very broad, from detecting asteroids, to analysing pieces of them returned to Earth. The future of asteroid science is exciting, and we're thrilled to be a part of it.

That completes the 3rd of our 3 tweet threads to mark #AsteroidDay. If you want to learn more about our #asteroid research within @OU_SPS then please get in touch. Or even better, come and study with us.

Have a great #AsteroidDay2020.

open.ac.uk/courses/choose…

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