NEOCam Mission: Protecting the Earth One Asteroid at a Time

NEOCam is a infrared telescope that will scan the skies to discover moving objects including asteroids and comets that pose a threat to the Earth. It is a mission proposal that is currently under review by NASA as part of the Discovery program. NEOCam will conduct a comprehensive survey of our solar system discovering thousands of new objects. The talk will present an overview of asteroids, how they are discovered, a rationale for studying them and the importance of NEOCam in planetary defense. Presentation will include an interactive asteroid hunting game.