This HTML code represents a web page with content about the threat of asteroid impacts.This HTML code represents a web page with content about the threat of asteroid impacts. The `
` tags contain text paragraphs, while the “ tags define sections and containers. There is an image embedded in the page using an `` tag, which is placed inside a figure element with a caption. The content discusses the potential consequences of asteroid impacts, including the Tunguska event in 1908 and the extinction of the dinosaurs. It emphasizes the need for preparedness and the development of asteroid deflection technologies. ISRO’s efforts in planetary defense are mentioned, along with the successful demonstration of kinetic impactor technology by NASA’s DART mission. The page includes information about World Asteroid Day and the involvement of space agencies like JAXA and ESA in mitigating asteroid threats. The code also includes a Smart Slider, which is a carousel or slideshow, with an image and a caption. Finally, there is a navigation section at the bottom of the page for continuing reading.
Historical precedents underscore the seriousness of such threats. For example, the Tunguska event in Siberia on June 30, 1908, involved a massive asteroid blast. It flattened about 2,200 square kilometers of dense forest and wiped out nearly 80 million trees. An even larger asteroid impact, 10 kilometers or more in diameter, is considered an extinction-level event, believed to have caused the demise of the dinosaurs.
Somanath stressed that catastrophic events may not happen within a person’s lifetime. However, the history of the world and the universe shows that these events occur frequently. “If such an event happens on Earth, we will all be extinct,” he stated. Somanath stressed the real possibility of an asteroid impact and stressed the need for preparedness. There is a need to develop deflection technologies, he stressed.
Space agencies worldwide are actively working to build planetary defense capabilities to protect the Earth from such threats. ISRO is also undertaking significant efforts in this regard. The recent successful demonstration of kinetic impactor technology by NASA’s DART mission has fueled global interest and advancement in asteroid deflection techniques. ISRO has initiated focused activities for planetary defense, with the aim of improving detection, prediction and deflection capabilities.
On World Asteroid Day, June 30, ISRO organized a workshop with technical talks from leading experts from space agencies such as JAXA and ESA. The discussions covered asteroid missions such as Hayabusa-2, ongoing planetary defense initiatives and the role of international organizations such as the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) and the Space Mission Planning Advisory Group (SMPAG) in mitigating threats from asteroid impacts.
Anil Kumar, Associate Director of ISRO’s Telemetry, Tracking, and Command Network, revealed that experiments are underway. Efforts are being made to determine whether an asteroid could hit within a year and to assess the preparedness for such a scenario.
Somanath concluded by stressing the global nature of this threat and the need for collective efforts. “When the threat becomes real, humanity will come together and work on it. As a leading space nation, we have to take responsibility – not just for India, but for the entire world – to develop the necessary technical capabilities and work with other agencies,” he said.
