Speaker
Description
The increasing discovery rate of near-Earth objects requires software systems capable not only of orbit analysis, but also of continuous data ingestion, automated decision-making, and rapid dissemination of actionable information. We present Meerkat Asteroid Guard [1], the European Space Agency's operational imminent impactor monitoring system, developed and maintained at the Near-Earth Object Coordination Centre (NEOCC). Since becoming operational in 2021, Meerkat has contributed to the identification and follow-up of all known pre-impact asteroid discoveries detected during its operational lifetime.
Meerkat continuously monitors newly reported objects on the Minor Planet Center's Near-Earth Object Confirmation Page, automatically detecting updates, retrieving observations, and executing orbit determination and impact assessment workflows. The system produces a range of data products, including impact probabilities, uncertainty visualizations, follow-up pointing recommendations, impact corridors, and object classification summaries, which are distributed to analysts and observers in near real time.
This contribution focuses on the operational design and the alerting framework. Through email notifications, messaging systems, and automated phone calls, Meerkat acts as a catalyst for rapid international follow-up campaigns. Through dedicated mailing lists, alerts are distributed to professional and amateur astronomers across multiple continents, enabling rapid follow-up observations to refine orbit solutions and confirm or rule out potential impact scenarios.
[1] https://doi.org/10.1007/s40295-025-00560-0