Speaker
Description
This talk presents a strategic vision for advancing knowledge about meteoroid airbursts and impacts across the Solar System. While observing such events on Earth could provide key insights into their damaging effects, their rare occurrence due to atmospheric blocking makes systematic study difficult – whereas the Moon and Mars prove to be promising planetary-scale impact and airburst laboratories. The UK Space Frontiers whitepaper (Sokolowska et al. 2026) proposes three objectives that the UK should prioritise in the coming decade: (1) building comprehensive airburst and impact datasets from across the Solar System and supporting existing missions that enable that; (2) advancing impact and airburst numerical modeling through investment in developing cutting-edge hydrocodes; and (3) developing next-generation orbital and in-situ impact and airburst monitoring mission “MOND” (Martian Orbiter Network for Defence). These objectives will now begin to be pursued at the University of Glasgow and partners under the new "SPACEFORCE" research program. I will also show a teaser of the first impact simulations of Martian airbursts and meteoroid entry that are underway.