The term Spaceguard loosely refers to a number of efforts to discover and study near-Earth objects (NEO). Arthur C. Clarke coined the term in his novel "Rendezvous with Rama" with SPACEGUARD as the name of an early warning system created following a catastrophic asteroid impact on Italy. This name was later adopted by a number of real life efforts to discover and study near-Earth objects.
A 1992U.S. Congressional study produced a "Spaceguard Survey Report" which led to a mandate that NASA locate 90% of large near-Earth asteroids within 10 years. This is often referred to as the "Spaceguard Goal." A number of efforts which receive money through NASA are all considered be working on the "Spaceguard Project."
Subsequently there have been Spaceguard associations or foundations formed in countries around the world to support the ideas of discovering and studying near-Earth objects. Generally, the Spaceguard organizations formed within individual countries are associated with the international foundation or with the U.S. efforts only by name, common interests, and similar goals.
Asteroids are discovered by telescopes which repeatedly survey large areas of sky. Efforts which concentrate on discovering NEOs are considered part of the "Spaceguard Survey," regardless of which organization they are affiliated with.
"Bigger Telescopes Seek Killer Asteroids" article by Michael Paine 2000 [1] (http://www.space.com/news/japan_spacewatch_000426.html)
"Asteroid False Alarm Shows Limits of Alert Systems" article by Stefan Lovgren 2004 [2] (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/03/0308_040308_asteroidimpact.html)
"Planetary Defense Systems" article by Kip Ingram [3] (http://kipingram.com/index.php?p=219)
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SpaceGuard SRM allows us to notify our users when they get close to their limits and even better can prevent users from adding to their directory once it has been exceed.
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Spaceguard UK needs to formalise its infrastructure, and a recruiting drive is needed to broaden the base of support for the aims of the organisation.
The international Spaceguard Foundation was established for precisely this sort of thing, and should be formally supported by the British government, in accordance with the Council of Europe Resolution 1080 of March 20 1996, and UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space recommendations of 13 December 1996.
Jonathan Tate is the founder and Director of Spaceguard UK, a member of the Board of Directors of the Spaceguard Foundation, a consultant to the IAU Working Group on Near Earth Objects, a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and an Associate of COSPAR.
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