Editing Spaceguard (section)

== History ==
[[Arthur C. Clarke]] coined the term in his novel ''[[Rendezvous with Rama]]'' (1973) where "Project Spaceguard" was the name of an [[early warning system]] created following a fictional catastrophic [[Impact event|asteroid impact]].<ref name="paine">Michael Paine (2000-04-26), [http://www.space.com/news/japan_spacewatch_000426.html "Bigger Telescopes Seek Killer Asteroids"], ''[[Space.com]]'' (accessed on 2010-06-26)</ref> This name was later adopted by a number of real life efforts to discover and study near-[[Earth]] objects. The name was used for the Survey "with the permission and encouragement of Clarke."{{R|"Morrison"}} A 1992 [[United States Congress|US Congressional]] study produced a "Spaceguard Survey Report"<ref name="nasa">[[David Morrison (astrophysicist)|David Morrison]] (1992), "[http://impact.arc.nasa.gov/downloads/spacesurvey.pdf The Spaceguard Survey Report] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100108000136/http://impact.arc.nasa.gov/downloads/spacesurvey.pdf |date=2010-01-08 }}", ''[http://impact.arc.nasa.gov/gov_nasastudies.cfm NASA Studies] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527151321/http://impact.arc.nasa.gov/gov_nasastudies.cfm |date=2010-05-27 }}'' at Asteroid and Comet Impact Hazards, [[NASA]] [[Ames Research Center]].</ref> which led to a mandate that [[NASA]] locate 90% of near-Earth [[asteroid]]s larger than 1&nbsp;km within 10 years.  This is often referred to as the "Spaceguard Goal."  A number of efforts which receive money through NASA are all considered to be working on the "Spaceguard Project."

The effect of the impact of [[Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9]] to Jupiter in July 1994 created a greater perception of importance to the detection of near Earth objects. As David Levy stated in an interview "The giggle factor disappeared after Shoemaker-Levy 9." He was referring to the contemporary attitude that [[extinction level event]]s were so improbable that those advocating for research for detection and possible deflection methods were only paranoid alarmists. The impact of one of its fragments created a giant dark spot on Jupiter over 12,000&nbsp;km across, and was estimated to have released an energy equivalent to 6 [[:wikt:teraton|teratons]] of TNT (600 times the world's nuclear arsenal). After the impact of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, asteroid detection programs all over the world received greater funding.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Levy|first=David H.|author-link=David H. Levy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-ePHSCLOMvwC&q=giggle&pg=PA169|title=Cosmic Discoveries: The Wonders of Astronomy|date=2010|publisher=Prometheus Books|isbn=978-1615925667|language=en|quote=In January 1993, [Levy] attended a meeting about hazards that could be caused from comets and asteroids. One of the biggest concerns that attending scientists had was what to do about the "giggle factor." Whenever anyone suggested that comets could post a hazard, the press responded with sarcasm. In those early days of 1993, it was difficult to make anyone take the threat seriously. [...] How could anyone know that at that meeting three of its participants<!--partipants[sic] in source--> would discover, within a few weeks, a comet that would spotlight the consequences of impacts very effectively?|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=-ePHSCLOMvwC&q=giggle&pg=PA169 169]}}</ref>

The Working Group on Near-Earth Objects (WGNEO) of the [[International Astronomical Union]] held a workshop in 1995 entitled ''Beginning the Spaceguard Survey''<ref name="vulcano">[http://spaceguard.rm.iasf.cnr.it/SGF/Vulcano/INDEX.html Beginning the Spaceguard Survey] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722083645/http://spaceguard.rm.iasf.cnr.it/SGF/Vulcano/INDEX.html |date=2011-07-22 }}, Vulcano Workshop (1995), IAU Working Group on Near-Earth Objects. (accessed on 2010-06-26)</ref> which led to an international organization called the [[Spaceguard Foundation]]. 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 NASA efforts only by name, common interests, and similar goals.

The initial Spaceguard Goal was achieved, although in slightly longer than 10 years.  An extension to the project gave NASA the mandate of reducing the minimum size at which more than 90% of near-Earth asteroids are known to 140 m.<ref>Harris, Alan. [http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v453/n7199/full/4531178a.html  What Spaceguard did], ''[[Nature (journal)|Nature]]'', Vol. 453, pp. 1178–1179, June 26, 2008, {{doi|10.1038/4531178a}}; Published online 25 June 2008 {{subscription required}}.</ref>