Committee asks: are we prepared for an asteroid threat?
The Science, Innovation and Technology Committee will investigate the current science and research surrounding asteroids, and the international policy response in case of an emergency asteroid threat, in a one-off session.
In the first panel, the cross-party committee will hear from experts in planetary science and astrophysics to explore asteroids and non-earth objects, and how experts predict their paths. Questions may also focus on the future of space mining, the contribution of citizen science projects to asteroid detection, and government support for planetary science research.
Meeting details
In the second panel, MPs will question the UK Space Agency on domestic and international collaboration for asteroid tracking and planetary defence. They could investigate the UK’s science capability, including its asteroid threat simulation and preparedness, planetary defence research and public awareness surrounding asteroid hazards.