Space Mission Planning Advisory Group

This is the homepage of the UN-endorsed 'Space Mission Planning Advisory Group' (SMPAG). It contains an overview of the group and information on previous and upcoming meetings.

NOTE: For official statements on asteroid 2024 YR4, scroll to the bottom of the page.
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The establishment of SMPAG was recommended by the Working Group on near-Earth objects (NEOs) of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space during its fiftieth session, held  in February 2013. It was formally endorsed by the Committee at its fifty-sixth session in June 2013 and by the sixty-eighth session of the General Assembly in December 2013.

The primary purpose of the SMPAG is to prepare for an international response to a threat by a near-Earth object through the exchange of information, development of options for collaborative research and mission opportunities, and to conduct NEO threat mitigation planning activities.' (from the Terms of Reference)

This web page is the technical reference for SMPAG. It gives summaries of all official meetings (see menu item 'meetings'), and references to all documents and presentations (see menu item 'documents'). Under 'members' you can find a list of all current SMPAG member delegations and observers. 'ToR' refers to the terms of reference.

For comments or update requests for this website, contact Detlef Koschny at the TU Munich.

Current activities

SMPAG is currently participating in a simulated asteroid impact threat scenario, being prepared for the upcoming Planetary Defense Conference 2025. More information on the scenario can be found on the webpage of JPL CNEOS here: https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/pd/cs/pdc25/. SMPAG also follows all information on asteroid 2024 YR4 closely, see the statements below.

2025-02-05: SMPAG Statement on asteroid 2024 YR4 as discussed at the current meeting

In an in-person meeting on 05 Feb 2025, the Space Mission Planning Advisory Group (SMPAG) discussed the most recent information provided by the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) on the asteroid 2024 YR4 encounter with Earth in Dec 2032. The object currently has a 1.6 % impact probability and the estimated size remains between 40 and 90 m. At this meeting, it was concluded that SMPAG will continue to actively monitor the evolution of the impact probability and possible knowledge about the object size. The group has started to discuss activities, but considers it is premature to develop specific recommentation for missions. This will be reassessed at a future meeting which will be held towards the end of this visibility period (roughly the end of April/early May this year) or earlier, if the evolution of the threat merits.

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2025-01-31: Statement by SMPAG on asteroid 2024 YR4

In a dedicated (virtual) meeting on 31 Jan 2025, the Space Mission Planning Advisory Group (SMPAG) has considered the very small probability of an impact of asteroid 2024 YR4 in Dec 2032. The object currently has a 1.3 % impact probability, the estimated size is between 40 and 90 m. The threshold for SMPAG to become active is >1 % and >50 m in size, therefore SMPAG has considered the known facts about the object. It was concluded that it is too early to take immediate action. However, SMPAG will monitor the evolution of impact threat and possible knowledge about the size closely. Another meeting to take decisions on future activities will be held latest towards the end of this visibility period (roughly end of April/early May this year), or earlier, if the evolution of the threat merits.

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Last update: 05 Feb 2025, dvk