If a large asteroid such as the recently identified 2004 VD17 � about 500 m in diameter with a mass of nearly 1000 million tonnes – collides with the Earth it could spell disaster for much of our planet. As part of ESA�s Near-Earth Object deflecting mission Don Quijote, three teams of European industries are now carrying out studies on how to prevent this.
Full story:
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMC43NFGLE_index_0.html