This planetary defense session will bring together various branches of government, space agencies, and other international organizations to discuss comprehensive solutions in all areas of detecting, monitoring, understanding, predicting, preparing, and mitigating Near-Earth objects, including a multidisciplinary approach addressing recent developments in planetary defense. We accept papers on sample return missions on NEO properties and the analysis of small bodies’ material, including data on the mineralogy and thermomechanical properties of such bodies obtained through missions like OSIRIS-REx and Hayabusa2. Additionally, current and upcoming missions, including the first deflection test with DART, such as revised numerical modeling and physical characteristics of Didymos and Dimorphos, are also welcome. The multidisciplinary and synergetic approach will cover the impact hazard posed to space assets by micrometeoroids or human-made debris that can help drive technological advancements. The session will also cover various areas that inform the future of planetary defense, such as methods for the prevention of impactful events, preparations for the worst-case scenario mitigation campaigns, and factors entailed in decision-making, communication, education, legal considerations, and other transdisciplinary research that could help make better decisions and prevent any threat posed by an asteroid or comet.
Building on the Success of 2024 & 2025
- Established Planetary Defense Program at NSS ISDC
- 18+ Professional Technical Presentations Delivered
- 500+ Specialized Brochures Distributed to the Public
- Dedicated "Dual-Use" Framework Connecting Planetary Defense to Broader Space Sectors
- Cutting-Edge Topics: Apophis, 2024 YR4 & James Webb Space Telescope Findings, and more!
Founded in 2024 by expert Nancy C. Wolfson, the NSS ISDC Planetary Defense (PD) Program established a critical new pillar within the International Space Development Conference. Building on its inaugural success, the 2024 and 2025 programs evolved into a multi-faceted initiative, featuring a dedicated technical track, high-level special sessions with world-renowned experts, and an interactive outreach booth designed to drive public engagement and professional collaboration. Under Wolfson’s leadership, the program is becoming a premier discussion platform for the detection, characterization, and mitigation of Near-Earth Objects (NEOs).
PD Program Highlights 2025
The Planetary Defense Special Session: "Look Up is an Asteroid" was held at the NSS ISDC 2025. This second edition successfully bridged the gap between science fiction and actionable planetary defense science. The session was moderated by Nancy C. Wolfson (AIAA), who also curated the specialized slide presentation and managed the program timeline to facilitate a seamless knowledge transfer from "fiction to science."
The expert panel featured a specialized cohort from the University of Central Florida and the Florida Space Institute, including: Dr. Richard Jerousek – Associate Lecturer/Observatory Director, UCF; Dr. Joseph Harrington – Pegasus Professor, Dept. of Physics, UCF; Dr. Daniel Britt – Pegasus Professor of Astronomy and Planetary Sciences, UCF; Dr. Audrey Martin – University of Central Florida; and Dr. Sean Marshall – Scientist, Planetary Department, Research Assistant Professor, Florida Space Institute. Discussions highlighted the latest impact probabilities for Asteroid Apophis (2029) and provided a rigorous analysis of the recently flagged 2024 YR4. The experts emphasized how observations from the James Webb Space Telescope have been instrumental in refining these trajectories. Complementing this special session, the 2025 Planetary Defense Track delivered 11 professional presentations focused on a "dual-use" theme via the PD Author Bootcamp. This strategic framework identifies critical synergies between planetary defense and broader space sectors. The program booth enhanced public engagement by distributing approximately 300 specialized brochures.
PD Program Highlights 2024
The 2024 Planetary Defense Special Session was a landmark event for the program, specifically designed to engage a unique demographic—young professionals and K-12 students. This audience brought a dynamic energy to the conference, as many were already familiar with the NSS through the annual Space Settlement Contest. However, for most attendees, this session represented their first formal exposure to planetary defense within the context of the ISDC.
The session featured an elite panel of experts, including: Dr. Nahum Melamed (The Aerospace Corporation), Dr. Peter Swan (International Space Elevator Consortium), and Nancy C. Wolfson (Program Founder & Moderator). Beyond her role as moderator, Nancy C. Wolfson curated the specialized slide materials and managed the program timeline to ensure the complex technical content was accessible and engaging for the NextGen audience. The session successfully bridged the gap between popular imagination and the rigorous scientific realities of protecting our planet. The Planetary Defense Track featured a curated lineup of seven expert speakers, while the dedicated program booth successfully engaged the public by distributing over 200 specialized planetary defense brochures.
Planetary Defense
Session Chair Info
Nancy C. Wolfson
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Nancy C. Wolfson is a Washington, D.C., US-based scholar, lecturer, and researcher. Nancy is a published author with over 18 years of professional managerial experience. President of Disrupting Space, a company dedicated to analog and risk management space-related research and developing international partnership opportunities for various space activities. Nancy focuses on space exploration, sustainability, and planetary defense research and education. Nancy was elected Vice-Chair of the International Astronautical Federation’s (IAF) Read More
Planetary Defense
Session Speakers Info
Ayden Frey
Student Researcher, Wolfpack CubeSat Dev Team
Ayden Frey is a 14 year old homeschool student who has a strong interest in aerospace engineering. His work in this paper focuses on rapid response missions to deflect asteroids on a collision course with Earth. He has competed in the Science Olympiad for two years and has gone, along with his homeschool team, to the Florida states competition both of those two years. Additionally he is a part of Read More
Michael Helton
Consultant, Helton Associates
Mike Helton is a retired Aerospace Engineer. He has a BS in Aeronautical Engineering from Purdue (1966) and a Masters in Astrodynamics from UCLA (1972). At North American Rockwell he worked on many proposals for interplanetary missions, the Apollo Program and the Space Shuttle proposal. At JPL he worked on the Mars mapping mission (Mariner Mars ’71), as a trajectory engineer for the Pioneer 10 & 11 missions, as a Read More
Subhransu Mishra
Founder, AstroMind AI
Subhransu Mishra is a student innovator and AI researcher focused on developing intelligent systems for space and defence applications. He is the creator of AstroMind AI, a multi-agent autonomous intelligence system designed for real-time decision-making, anomaly detection, and mission optimization in complex environments. His work explores predictive intelligence, simulation-based AI systems, and autonomous control architectures aimed at reducing human dependency in mission-critical scenarios. He actively participates in hackathons and global Read More
Dr. Wolfgang Rohde
Executive Director of Innovation & Strategy, Aisune Foundation
Dr. Wolfgang Rohde is Executive Director of the AiSuNe Foundation, a research and advisory organization advancing runtime governance for agentic AI systems. Previously Global Director for Digital Manufacturing at Siemens, he developed the Governance Twin framework and leads AiSuNe’s research on AI governance architecture, the Ethics–Morals–Values (EMV) framework, the Ethics Security Model, and the Sentinel–Council model, in collaboration with researchers at UNC Charlotte, Dalhousie University, and the National University of Read More
Ken Ruffin
Founder, Didymos Consulting LLC (dba Ruff-in-Space)
Ken Ruffin, member of both the NSS Board of Directors and the NSS Board of Strategic Advisors, an NSS Space Ambassador, as well as president of the National Space Society of North Texas (NSS-NT) has transitioned from an engineering career to a space industry career by leveraging his aerospace engineering education and substantial public speaking experience. Ken has spoken to nearly 250 audiences in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Metroplex, Texas, Read More
Dr. Peter A. Swan
Chief Architect, International Space Elevator Consortium
Peter A. Swan, Ph.D., FAIAA, FBIS, MIAA, is ISEC’s Chief Architect, Past President of the International Space Elevator Consortium, and a Board Member of the Space Elevator Development Corporation. In these roles, he leads teams who further the Space Elevator concept through incremental studies and yearly conferences. Over the last 24 years, he has published multiple books on the topic as an author, co-author, and/or co-editor. He is a full Read More
Madhu Thangavelu
Dept of Astronautical Engineering, Viterbi School
Madhu Thangavelu conducts the ASTE527 graduate Space Exploration Architectures Concept Synthesis Studio in the Department of Astronautical Engineering within the Viterbi School of Engineering, and he is also a graduate thesis adviser in the School of Architecture at USC. He holds degrees in both engineering and architecture and has contributed extensively to concepts in space architecture, especially dealing with extraterrestrial development. He is the author or co-author of over 70 Read More
Harsh Verma
Student, Defence Institute of Advanced Technology
Harsh Verma is an aerospace researcher and mechanical engineer focused on space robotics, autonomous mission systems, planetary exploration, and advanced aerospace technologies. His work includes robotic surface operations for lunar, Martian, and asteroid missions integrating AI, navigation, task planning, and fault management. He has presented research at national and international conferences in aerospace, robotics, and space systems. He has gained exposure to VSSC and DRDL, and participated in astronaut training Read More
James Anthony Wolff
Partner, Greenspoon Marder LLP
James Anthony Wolff is a partner at Greenspoon Marder LLP and a space, AI, and emerging technologies attorney focused on the legal and capital architecture of frontier industries. His work spans space policy, planetary defense finance, and the structuring of mission-driven ventures operating at the intersection of law, science, and long-term risk. In 2023, he was a co-founder recipient of a NASA award for advanced space systems research, followed by Read More