The European Union funded NEOShield project: a global approach to near-Earth object impact threat mitigation

Although discussions are underway within the Action Team 14 of the United Nations COPUOS, there is currently no concerted international plan addressing the impact threat from near-Earth objects (NEOs) and how to organize, prepare and implement mitigation measures. We report on a new international project to address impact hazard mitigation issues, being the subject of a proposal submitted to the European Commission in response to the 2011 FP7 Call “Prevention of impacts from near-Earth objects on our planet”. Our consortium consists of 13 research institutes, universities, and industrial partners from 6 countries and includes leading US and Russian space organizations. The primary aim of the project, NEOShield, is to investigate in detail the three most promising mitigation techniques: the kinetic impactor, blast deflection, and the gravity tractor, and devise feasible demonstration missions. Furthermore, we will investigate options for an international strategy for implementation when an actual impact threat arises. The NEOShield project was formally accepted by the European Commission on 17 November 2011 and funded with a total of 5.8 million Euros for a period of 3.5 years. The kick-off meeting took place at the DLR Institute of Planetary Research, Berlin, in January 2012. In this paper we present a brief overview of the planned scope of the project

PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF REGIONAL PILOT PROJECTS REFERRED TO THE SPACE ACTIVITY RESULT IMPLEMENTATION

The paper discusses the features of regional pilot projects considered as a promising institution of development of a national system of space activity result implementation. The present situation with planning and implementation of regional projects referred to the applied lines of space facility employment is briefly discussed. Methodological basics of pilot design are considered and a criterion system for the regional pilot project efficiency estimation including representation and reproduction criteria in particular has been suggested

A global approach to near-Earth object impact threat mitigation

There is currently no concerted international plan addressing the impact threat and how to organize, prepare and implement mitigation measures. We report on a new international project to address impact hazard mitigation issues, being the subject of a proposal to the European Commission in response to the 2011 FP7 Call “Prevention of impacts from near-Earth objects on our planet”. Our consortium consists of 13 research institutes, universities, and industrial partners and includes leading US and Russian space organizations. The primary aim of the project, NEOShield, is to investigate in detail the three most promising mitigation techniques: the kinetic impactor, blast deflection, and the gravity tractor, and devise feasible demonstration missions. Furthermore, we will investigate options for an international strategy for implementation when an actual impact threat arises. The European Commission’s funding contribution for the successful project in this Call will be a maximum of 4 million Euro. Final confirmation of funding is preceded by a phase of negotiation between the Consortium and the European Commission. At the time of writing the proposal assessment exercise has been completed and the NEOShield proposal has far exceeded all thresholds for acceptance into the negotiation phase. We anticipate a project duration of some 3.5 years with a kick-off meeting at the end of 2011. In this paper we present a brief overview of the planned scope of the project

Current trends and perspectives of the private entrepreneurship development in Russian space industry

The paper discusses the trends and prospects of the private business involvement in the Russia's space program and growth of the private actors' role in the national space landscape. The space entrepreneurship development is a completely new trend in the national space landscape rooting in the late 2000's - early 2010's institutional developments, including Skolkovo space cluster creation and growing activities of a number of value-added geoinformatics companies, Scanex and Sovzond being probably the most notable. By now one may observe the progressive development of a number of ambitious programs in spacecraft engineering, satellite applications and even suborbital space tourism. The paper reveals the private initiative presence in all segments of the space activity for both upstream and downstream segments. The brief comparative analysis is provided of the institutional enrionment defining the relative popularity of the space entrepreneurship models in the leading space-faring countries and conglomerates, including Europe, Russia and the USA. The paper introduces a brief review of the Russian private space projects under implementation, including Lin Industrial, Scanex, Sputnix, CosmoCourse et al. The background overview is provided identifying the most attractive space business segments given the national specifics of space activities and institutions. The major approaches towards establishing the government policy in this area are discussed as well as their implementation in Russia. Copyright © 2016 by the International Astronautical Federation. All rights reserved