FifteenPreventing thousandcatastrophic city-killerasteroid asteroidsimpacts remainis undetectedaffordable: despitebuilding theiran catastrophicinfrared potential,space yettelescope spaceto agenciesdiscover lack the fundingmost andthreatening readinessnear-Earth toobjects deployand demonstrating deflection technology evencould ifcost threatsabout were$1 spotted.billion, Currentroughly detection1% systemsof canNASA'ts trackbudget mid-sizeover asteroidsfive hiddenyears. byWith sunlightsuch investments, andhumanity nocould standbycatalogue defenseand spacecraftdeflect existsmany tohazards replicatelong successfulbefore deflectionthey experiments.strike, Withoutturning immediateastronomical investmentrisk ininto surveillancemanageable telescopesplanetary andinsurance preparedfor responsefuture systems,generations humanity remains defenseless against regional devastationworldwide.

Asteroid defense demands immediate global investment because a single impact could trigger nuclear winter lasting years, wiping out civilization when food supplies run dry within months. Early detection and deflection technology can save humanity by shifting trajectories when asteroids remain distant, but delay makes intervention exponentially harder. Planetary survival transcends politics and requires coordinated funding from all nations benefiting from protection.