EON

New Hardware And Program Puts Canada In Lead In Meteor Hunting

Ottawa- Sometimes science can come successfully in very small packages.

The Space industry of Canada is working cooperatively in an effort to make sure that if there is a huge space body or asteroid that is headed toward the Earth that we have warning and time to make decisions on how to avert a collision.

The Canadian Space Agency and Defence Research Development Canada is working to prepare a project called NEOSSAT.

NEOSSAT stands for Near Earth Object Surveillance Satellite, and it is a device that is about the size of a suitcase.

It will have detection gear as well as a highly advanced telescope that will help spot and track objects in space, to try and detect any objects that would threaten the Earth.

It is widely thought that the end of the dinosaurs came from a large space body striking the Earth, and in the huge collision there was a dust cloud, temperature changes, and other situations, which led to the demise of the dinosaurs.

Canada is taking the lead with NEOSSAT, and the tiny satellite packs a big punch.

It only weighs about 65 kilograms and it is a leader in near space observations, and will be a vital link to help detect any large objects that will head to or threaten the Earth.