Lawmaker calls meteor a ‘stark reminder’ of need to fund space science

The House Science, Space, and Technology Committee will hold a hearing to examine ways to identify and address asteroids that pose a potential threat to Earth in the wake of an unforeseen meteor explosion over Russia on 15 February, on the same day that a large asteroid passed just 17,000 miles from Earth.

“Today’s events are a stark reminder of the need to invest in space science,” said the committee’s chairman, Republican Rep. Lamar Smith from Texas, in a same-day statement. “We should continue to invest in systems that identify threatening asteroids and develop contingencies, if needed, to change the course of an asteroid headed toward Earth.”