NASA detects about 1,500 new near-Earth objects every year and 90 percent of objects are 3,000 feet or bigger. The most near-Earth object discoveries were produced by the Panoramic Survey Telescope & Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS) on Maui’s Mount Haleakala, Hawaii. A lot of dangerous objects about 450 feet or larger are currently undetected. “Asteroid detection, tracking and defense of our planet is something that NASA, its interagency partners, and the global community take very seriously,” said John Grunsfeld, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The agency is committed to perform a leadership role in national and international efforts for detection of these natural impact hazards.
