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A Review of U.S. Government Efforts to Track and Mitigate Asteroids and Meteors (Part I & Part Ii)

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A Review of U.S. Government Efforts to Track and Mitigate Asteroids and Meteors (Part I & Part Ii) THREATS FROM SPACE: A REVIEW OF U.S. GOVERNMENT EFFORTS TO TRACK AND MITIGATE ASTEROIDS AND METEORS (PART I & PART II) HEARING BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013 and WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 2013 Serial No. 113–14 and Serial No. 113–17 Printed for the use of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology ( Available via the World Wide Web: http://science.house.gov U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 80–552PDF WASHINGTON : 2013 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512–1800; DC area (202) 512–1800 Fax: (202) 512–2104 Mail: Stop IDCC, Washington, DC 20402–0001 COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY HON. LAMAR S. SMITH, Texas, Chair DANA ROHRABACHER, California EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON, Texas RALPH M. HALL, Texas ZOE LOFGREN, California F. JAMES SENSENBRENNER, JR., DANIEL LIPINSKI, Illinois Wisconsin DONNA F. EDWARDS, Maryland FRANK D. LUCAS, Oklahoma FREDERICA S. WILSON, Florida RANDY NEUGEBAUER, Texas SUZANNE BONAMICI, Oregon MICHAEL T. MCCAUL, Texas ERIC SWALWELL, California PAUL C. BROUN, Georgia DAN MAFFEI, New York STEVEN M. PALAZZO, Mississippi ALAN GRAYSON, Florida MO BROOKS, Alabama JOSEPH KENNEDY III, Massachusetts RANDY HULTGREN, Illinois SCOTT PETERS, California LARRY BUCSHON, Indiana DEREK KILMER, Washington STEVE STOCKMAN, Texas AMI BERA, California BILL POSEY, Florida ELIZABETH ESTY, Connecticut CYNTHIA LUMMIS, Wyoming MARC VEASEY, Texas DAVID SCHWEIKERT, Arizona JULIA BROWNLEY, California Thomas Massie, Kentucky MARK TAKANO, California KEVIN CRAMER, North Dakota VACANCY JIM BRIDENSTINE, Oklahoma RANDY WEBER, Texas CHRIS STEWART, Utah VACANCY (II) C O N T E N T S Tuesday, March 19, 2013 Page Witness List ............................................................................................................. 2 Hearing Charter ...................................................................................................... 3 Opening Statements Statement by Representative Lamar S. Smith, Chairman, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives ..................... 5 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 6 Statement by Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, Ranking Member, Com- mittee on Science, Space, and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives .... 6 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 7 Statement by Representative Donna F. Edwards, Committee on Science, Space and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives ..................................... 8 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 8 Witnesses: The Honorable John P. Holdren, Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 10 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 12 Gen. William L. Shelton, Commander, U.S. Air Force Space Command Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 19 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 20 The Honorable Charles F. Bolden, Jr., Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 27 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 30 Discussion ................................................................................................................. 38 Appendix I: Answers to Post-Hearing Questions The Honorable John P. Holdren, Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President ........................................................... 64 Gen. William L. Shelton, Commander, U.S. Air Force Space Command ............ 73 The Honorable Charles F. Bolden, Jr., Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration ................................................................................... 82 Appendix II: Additional Material for the Record Submitted statement by Representative Steve Stockman, Committee on Science, Space and Technology ........................................................................... 94 Letter submitted by Dr. Dante Lauretta, Department of Planetary Sciences, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory ........................................................................ 95 Additional responses submitted by The Honorable Charles F. Bolden, Jr., Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration .................... 97 (III) C O N T E N T S Wednesday, April 10, 2013 Page Witness List ............................................................................................................. 102 Hearing Charter ...................................................................................................... 103 Opening Statements Statement by Representative Lamar S. Smith, Chairman, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives ..................... 105 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 105 Statement by Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, Ranking Member, Com- mittee on Science, Space, and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives .... 106 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 107 Witnesses: Dr. Ed Lu, Chairman and CEO, B612 Foundation Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 108 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 112 Dr. Donald K. Yeomans, Manager, Near-Earth Objects Program Office, Jet Propulsion Laboratory Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 117 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 119 Dr. Michael F. A’Hearn, Vice-Chair, Committee to Review Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies, National Resource Council Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 126 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 128 Discussion ................................................................................................................. 136 Appendix I: Answers to Post-Hearing Questions Dr. Ed Lu, Chairman and CEO, B612 Foundation ............................................... 150 Dr. Donald K. Yeomans, Manager, Near-Earth Objects Program Office, Jet Propulsion Laboratory ......................................................................................... 156 Dr. Michael F. A’Hearn, Vice-Chair, Committee to Review Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies, National Resource Council ......... 169 Appendix II: Additional Material for the Record Submitted statement by Representative Steve Stockman, Committee on Science, Space and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives ...................... 184 Submitted statement by Representative Donna F. Edwards, Committee on Science, Space and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives ...................... 186 Planetary Society Report submitted by Representative Dana Rohrabacher, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, U.S. House of Representa- tives ....................................................................................................................... 187 (V) THREATS FROM SPACE: A REVIEW OF U.S. GOVERNMENT EFFORTS TO TRACK AND MITIGATE ASTEROIDS AND METEORS, PART I TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY, Washington, D.C. The Committee met, pursuant to call, at 10:11 a.m., in Room 2318 of the Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Lamar Smith [Chairman of the Committee] presiding. (1) 2 LAMAR S. SMITH, Texas EDDIEBEFINICEJOHNSON,Tex<lS CHAIRMAN RANKING MEMBER Itonyrrss of the llnitro ~tatrs 1l\oD.Sr of 'RqJrrswtatiors COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY 2321 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON, DC 20515-6301 (202) 225-6371 www.sciance.lloU88.aOY u.s. House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Threats from Space: A Review of u.s. Government Efforts to Track and Mitigate Asteroids and Meteors, Part 1 Tuesday, March 19, 2013 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. 2318 Rayburn House Office Building The Honorable John P. Holdren, Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President Gen. William L. Shelton, Commander, U.S. Air Force Space Command The Honorable Charles F. Bolden, Jr., Admiuistrator, National Aeronautics and Space Admiuistration 3 U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, and Technology HEARING CHARTER 771reats ji-0111 Space: A Review of us. Government 4l1orts 10 Track and Mitigate Asteroids and Meteors, Part J Tuesday. March 19.2013 10:00
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