USGS Astrogeology - Planetary Defense (AD)

When most people think about asteroid impacts, they think of science fiction—Hollywood disasters and blockbuster movies. But asteroid impacts aren’t fiction. They’re a real part of Earth’s history—and a real hazard scientists study today.

For more than 60 years, scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey have studied geological hazards beyond Earth. The work began during the Apollo program, when USGS researchers helped map the Moon so astronauts could land and explore safely. But today, that expertise has expanded to a new challenge: planetary defense.

Planetary defense focuses on identifying asteroids and comets that could threaten Earth—and preparing for what might happen if one were on a collision course. Join us as we dive into our historical legacy of scientific research and cutting-edge development to understand the risks of asteroid impacts, and what scientists are doing to protect our planet.