B612 Foundation Annual Progress Report 2025

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Fueled by the dedication of our community, we made real progress this year advancing the science, technology, and partnerships that drive our mission and make discovery possible. We are especially grateful to our Leadership Circle—Laurie Girand and Scott McGregor, the William K. Bowes, Jr. Foundation, Alison and Steve Krausz, Maryann and John Montrym, Tito’s CHEERS, and Google Cloud— whose continued generosity drives our work ahead.

With a committed team of engineers now firmly in place for three years, the Asteroid Institute has begun to turn long-held goals into reality. Chief among these was the launch of the Asteroid Discovery Analysis and Mapping (ADAM) online platform—enabling easy access to our current tools. This milestone was strengthened through the addition of two new services: ADAM::Trajectory, which calculates flight paths and propulsion requirements between any two solar system objects, and ADAM::Impact Probability, which assesses the likelihood of an object impacting Earth or the Moon. Read more about these advances on pages 8–9.

Throughout the year, our engineers participated in conferences and outreach events, sharing our work and expanding awareness of ADAM across the scientific community. In April, our team convened in Seattle for a week-long hackathon, where they built the groundwork for the ADAM::Trajectory tool. That week, University of Washington graduate Dr. Joachim Moeyens and our Head of Software Engineering Alec Koumjian presented the Asteroid Institute’s open-source software packages to members of the LSST Interdisciplinary Network for Collaboration and Computing (LINCC). Later in the spring, we again sponsored the Planetary Defense Conference (PDC), as we have since its inception, and Software Engineer Kathleen Kiker presented new research on risk assessment in the Rubin Observatory era (see page 10). These efforts not only advance our tools but also ensure they evolve in step with the broader community.

On June 30, as part of Asteroid Day programming hosted by Lowell Observatory and Meteor Crater in Flagstaff, we awarded the second Schweickart Prize to a remarkable team of graduate students whose work reflects the complexity of planetary defense in the modern age. Led by Jordan Stone of Imperial College London, the proposal outlines a case and structure for a global coordination body to address the risks of unintentionally altering asteroid orbits through mining, science missions, or spacecraft anomalies. Their vision—blending technical modeling, ethical foresight, and international policy frameworks—is exactly the kind of thinking the Schweickart Prize was created to uplift. Learn more on pages 14–15.

Asteroid Day celebrated its tenth anniversary this year, an initiative I cofounded with Rusty Schweickart, Dr. Brian May, and Grig Richters to ignite global public engagement around asteroids. What began as a grassroots effort has become a UN-recognized event celebrated on nearly every continent. In early summer, a U.S. Senate resolution was introduced to recognize June 30 as Asteroid Day, underscoring how far this movement has come and what is possible when scientists, educators, policymakers, and the public work together. See pages 16–17 for more.

One of the definitive markers of B612’s long-term legacy is the continued growth of those who have been part of our community. From interns to prize winners, these individuals are emerging as scientists, engineers, communicators, and leaders—each carrying forward the inspiration, skills, and sense of purpose cultivated during their time with B612. Whether working on asteroid modeling, contributing to space missions, or advancing science communication, they remind us why investing in people is just as important as investing in technology. Find out where some of these individuals are today on pages 20–21.

Having witnessed the breathtaking beauty and dangers of space, I deeply appreciate the Asteroid Institute’s mission. The Institute’s efforts are vital for protecting our home planet and enhancing our understanding of the solar system and beyond.

STEVE SMITH FORMER NASA ASTRONAUT, DIPLOMAT

This year’s accomplishments are a reflection of our team’s talent, persistence, and shared mission—and none of it would be possible without the continued support of our board of directors, donors, advisors, and partners. Thank you for helping us turn our bold vision into tangible results and real progress in our mission to explore and navigate our solar system.

Looking ahead,

Danica Remy President, B612 Foundation Cofounder, Asteroid Day

ABOUT ASTEROID INSTI TUTE

Since 2002, B612 Foundation has engaged in research, education, and advocacy to advance our understanding of the solar system’s evolution, expand economic development in space, and protect our home planet from asteroid impacts.

Asteroid Institute, our flagship program, brings together scientists, researchers, and engineers to utilize the latest advances in computing and astronomy to build open tools that allow us to better understand, map, and navigate our solar system

ASTEROID EDUCATION

Our Asteroid Education programs help build the knowledge, skills, and readiness needed for humanity’s shared future in space. Through initiatives such as the Schweickart Prize, the Asteroid Institute Fellows program, and public events, our community of experts educates, inspires, and mentors the next generation of STEM leaders.

Our progress is made possible by the generous contributions of our Leadership, Founding, and Asteroid Circle members, along with individual donors from 46 countries worldwide.

IN THE LAST YEAR

The Asteroid Discovery Analysis and Mapping (ADAM) Platform

The new ADAM Platform online brings together our most powerful open-source tools—impact probability, trajectory optimization, and real-time discovery—in one easily accessible interface. Learn how these capabilities are accelerating research and enabling the mapping of our solar system on pages 8–9.

Vera C. Rubin Using Asteroid Institute Tools

Rubin Observatory will be using ADAM::Impact to test whether newly discovered objects pose a risk of Earth impact. By running early detections through our Monte Carlo–based risk-assessment engine, the Rubin team can rapidly flag potential impactors for follow-up. Read more about ADAM::Impact on page 10.

Hackathons

The Asteroid Institute team met in Seattle to collaborate with partners at the University of Washington’s DiRAC Institute. The visit aligned with the LSST Interdisciplinary Network for Collaboration and Computing (LINCC) workshop, where our engineering team shared open-source tools that support the community’s work. Over four days, the hackathon produced a prototype that became the ADAM::Trajectory service

A Decade of Asteroid Education

In 2015, B612 produced the first Asteroid Day program and global broadcast in San Francisco. A decade later, independently organized educational events are now held on nearly every continent. With the U.S. Senate’s resolution officially recognizing June 30 as Asteroid Day, cofounder Danica Remy reflects on how the initiative has grown beyond expectations and the lives it has touched. See pages 16–17 for the full story.

Schweickart Prize

In June, Apollo astronaut Rusty Schweickart presented the 2025 Schweickart Prize in Flagstaff, Arizona, during the Asteroid Day programming at Lowell Observatory and Meteor Crater. Now in its second year of recognizing student work, the prize was awarded to a team of students whose proposal addressed the policy and economic dimensions of planetary defense. Read more on page 15.

ASTEROID INSTI TUTE

LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The Asteroid Institute continues to be on the best course for accelerating the mapping of the solar system and protecting Earth from asteroid impacts. This past year has underscored the growing importance of the analytic tools we are building through the Asteroid Discovery Analysis and Mapping (ADAM) platform.

In January, asteroid 2024 YR4 briefly made headlines with a reported 4.3% chance of striking Earth in 2032. The Asteroid Institute played a leading role in explaining how that probability was determined, using our open-source risk assessment tools and sharing impact maps with the public. Later observations ruled out an Earth collision, though a small chance of a lunar impact remains. More to come on this story!

The Rubin Observatory also released preliminary results confirming it will soon become the most powerful facility for asteroid discovery ever built. Rubin scientists will be using ADAM to identify and assess potential threats, and we are eager to apply our Trackletless Heliospheric Orbit Recovery (THOR) algorithm to expand the number of asteroids Rubin will uncover.

What else have we accomplished this year? We processed vast datasets of moving objects, built a live copy of the full Minor Planet catalog for easier access, launched a trajectory optimizer to map optimal paths between solar system bodies, and made all these tools available at b612.ai and through the new ADAM Dashboard.

With more than 5,000 satellites expected to launch this year, space development is accelerating rapidly. Meeting this challenge requires advanced mapping algorithms and broad access to data.

So thank you to our donors and partners! You are helping build the tools that will help us develop our solar system, and which will eventually help us protect the earth from asteroid impacts!

Dr. Ed Lu

Executive Director, Asteroid Institute

THE ADAM PLATFORM

Developed by the Asteroid Institute, the open-source Asteroid Discovery Analysis and Mapping (ADAM) platform enables large-scale analysis on a comprehensive catalog of astronomical datasets. Powered by Google Cloud, ADAM integrates live and historical data from multiple surveys, creating a reliable, dynamic map of known moving objects in our solar system.

Components and Users

In building ADAM and engaging with its early users, we’ve mapped how our tools and services could support tasks ranging from mission target selection to asteroid discovery and confirmation. As the platform evolves, new components will expand its applications and broaden the community it serves.

ADAM COMPONENTS USE CASES STAKEHOLDERS

Astrodynamics Services

Astrodynamics Open-source Tools

Astronomical Datasets

Arc Extension

Solar System Mapping

Automated MPC Submissions

Automated Discovery

Impact Risk

THE EVOLUTION OF ADAM

By Alec Koumjian

The past year has seen the Asteroid Discovery Analysis and Mapping (ADAM) platform expand in both scope and depth, marking an important step in making advanced asteroid science tools accessible to the public. Built on Google Cloud, ADAM combines curated datasets—8.6 billion point sources—and cloud-based services to create the infrastructure for discovery, analysis, and mission design.

One of the most significant additions this year has been the release of the Minor Planet Center’s (MPC) BigQuery Replica, accessible through the mpcq Python client. This release mirrors the MPC’s core holdings (including observations, orbits, and submission history) in a managed, query-optimized environment. By leveraging BigQuery’s scalable architecture, researchers can run sophisticated queries without downloading massive datasets or maintaining infrastructure, greatly lowering the barrier to entry for working with the MPC catalog.

The ADAM platform now hosts public exports of Rubin Observatory observations submitted to the MPC. This data, available in CSV, Parquet, and SQLite formats, is partitioned daily and offered as full snapshots. The datasets were created in response to requests from the LSST Solar System Science Collaboration members seeking reliable and open access to this stream of data, ensuring Rubin’s contributions can be integrated quickly into both large-scale discovery pipelines and smaller research projects.

Alongside new datasets, Asteroid Institute launched the ADAM Dashboard at b612.ai, which provides access to three services: Precovery, Impact Probability, and the newly launched Trajectory Optimizer. The console supports both a web interface and an API for integration into external pipelines. This combination of accessible web tools and programmable infrastructure is poised to become a key feature of ADAM’s growth.

Precovery remains a cornerstone, enabling searches of historical sky surveys for prediscovery detections of known objects. By extending observational arcs and improving orbit solutions, it demonstrates the direct benefits of cloud-scale computing for asteroid science.

In May 2025, we launched ADAM::Impact Probability, a service that allows researchers and students to explore asteroid risk scenarios using Monte Carlo analysis. The

service offers interactive visualizations and downloadable results for objects from JPL SBDB, ESA NEOCC, or JPL Scout. This capability underscores the practical value of transparent, reproducible impact monitoring.

In July, we introduced the ADAM::Trajectory Optimizer, which extends ADAM into mission design. By solving Lambert’s problem across user-defined time windows, the service produces porkchop plots and interactive visualizations of launch opportunities and transfer costs. Early reception from professional space mission planners has been very positive, especially regarding ease of data access.

Asteroid resources mark a vast new frontier that is growing more accessible. As evidence of this, ADAM trajectory gives us rapid, iterative mission design once reserved for large agencies.

DAYNAN CRULL COFOUNDER AND MISSION ARCHITECT, KARMAN+

Underlying these services is a strong commitment to open-source. Much of ADAM is built on publicly available libraries for astrodynamics, available on GitHub. By keeping the foundation of ADAM open, we foster transparency, encourage community contributions, and allow others to build on the same tools that power our cloud services.

Looking ahead, we plan to expand further with core dynamics functions such as propagation and ephemeris generation, reinforcing ADAM as a hub where datasets, services, and open software converge to support discovery, risk analysis, and mission design—at the scale of modern cloud infrastructure.

About Alec

Alec Koumjian is the Head of Software Engineering. With a dual degree in Computer Science and Physics from Marlboro College, he has over a decade of experience with writing software and leading teams across diverse industries, including machine learning. His technical background includes building scalable APIs, job systems, vector-based search engines, and code performance analysis in addition to frontend development.

OPEN SOFTWARE FOR IMPACT DETECTION

In late December 2024, the NASA-funded ATLAS survey spotted a previously unknown asteroid, 2024 YR4, with more than a 1% chance of impacting Earth. The discovery quickly made headlines as telescopes worldwide raced to refine its probability. For Asteroid Institute, YR4 offered a timely test.

In the months leading up to the discovery, our team had already developed a series of open-source tools for impact-risk assessment. These tools were immediately put to use. As new observations arrived, we generated Monte Carlo–based impact estimates and risk-corridor maps that closely matched figures from JPL and ESA. Within an hour of the MPC posting updated measurements, we were the first to identify that the impact risk had shifted from Earth to the Moon. At the same time, our Precovery service retrieved archival observations to extend the arc and refine orbit solutions.

Through coordinated efforts worldwide, it was soon determined that asteroid 2024 YR4 no longer posed a significant threat. Still, this real-world test accelerated development of our impact-assessment tools and informed our broader research agenda.

At the 9th IAA Planetary Defense Conference, Asteroid Institute engineer Kathleen Kiker used synthetic data to demonstrate how these tools can support impact-risk modeling. We focused on how much warning time Rubin Observatory could provide for imminent impactors. Simulations yielded two notable findings: many impactors would be detected only on final approach—months to days before impact—when speed and independent verification matter most. And Rubin alone could not provide sufficient warning for all threats, detecting only about half of Earth impactors 140 meters or smaller.

Rubin’s efforts are strengthened by the Asteroid Institute’s open-source work, which offers the community reliable, scalable tools for asteroid science.

DR.

ŽELJKO IVEZIĆ DIRECTOR, RUBIN OBSERVATORY

Building on this work, the impact-probability code will be trialed directly within Rubin’s discovery pipeline. Integrating this capability means that new discoveries can be automatically assessed for impact potential in near real-time—an essential step toward identifying imminent threats quickly and reliably.

By making our methods and results open-source, we ensure transparency and provide the community with a critical planetary-defense toolkit. Looking ahead, we will continue advancing discovery and tracking tools to strengthen global readiness.

ASTEROID

DISCOVERY PROGRESS

Asteroid Institute discoveries compared to Minor Planet Center recorded discoveries. Each year includes both main belt and near-Earth asteroids as well as other minor planets.

†New discoveries from the Asteroid Institute are anticipated in 2025, after the release of this report.

GLOBAL

NEAR-EARTH ASTEROID DISCOVERY PROGRESS *

More than 99% of the asteroids large enough to destroy a city (like the Tunguska asteroid) remain untracked.

PROGRAM EVOLUTION

2002

B612 founded with the goal of finding technical solutions for asteroid deflection.

2004–2008

B612 leads the Apophis debate.

2005

B612 announces invention of gravity tractor in Nature

2008

B612 funds design study at JPL showing feasibility of the gravity tractor.

2009

B612 sponsors first official International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) Planetary Defense Conference (PDC).

2012–2013

Dr. Ed Lu speaks at the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing on space-borne threats to human civilization.

B612 announces the Sentinel Space Telescope project.

Open letter sent to NASA about deflection mission planning and the potential impact of asteroid 2011 AG5.

2014–2015

B612 is lead Founding Partner of Asteroid Day, a global asteroid-awareness campaign.

Asteroid Day holds 150 events worldwide.

B612 funds a Caltech research study validating the feasibility of synthetic tracking.

2016

B612 begins the Asteroid Discovery Analysis and Mapping (ADAM) project.

Asteroid Day is recognized by the United Nations and holds 500 events worldwide.

B612 endorses NEOCam and LSST for 100 M+ solution and discontinues fundraising for Sentinel project.

2017

Asteroid Institute launches with a focus on developing analytical tools for asteroid defense using ADAM.

Asteroid Day moves to Luxembourg and streams a 24hour global broadcast.

B612 publishes a call for shared solar system map in the Financial Times.

ASE NEO COMMITTEE

2005

Congress passes the George E. Brown, Jr. Near-Earth Object Survey Act, directing NASA to find 90% of asteroids larger than 140 meters.

Association of Space Explorers forms its committee on near-Earth objects (ASE NEO Committee).

2009

ASE NEO Committee submits Asteroid Threats: A Call for Global Response to UN COPUOS, recommending creation of international coordination mechanisms.

2012–15

A 19-meter meteor explodes over Chelyabinsk, Russia, injuring more than 1,500 people and damaging thousands of buildings across six cities.

Building on ASE recommendations, UN establishes the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) under COPUOS.

JAXA launches the Hayabusa2 mission.

Construction begins on the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST).

2018

B612 launches the Asteroid Institute Fellows Program.

Asteroid Institute announces Google and AGI as technology partners for ADAM.

Asteroid Day hosts over 2,000 events worldwide and streams a 48-hour global broadcast.

Asteroid Institute publishes synthetic tracking results as a NASA technical report.

ASTEROID DAY

2016

NASA establishes the Planetary Defense Coordination Office.

NASA launches the OSIRISREx mission to asteroid Bennu.

2017

ESA and NASA almost fund the joint Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment (AIDA) mission.

NASA funds the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), the first planetary defense mission.

2018

Pew Research Center reports that Americans view asteroid monitoring as a national priority.

United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) publishes the Planetary Defence Report.

Hayabusa2 spacecraft surveys asteroid Ryugu.

2019

Asteroid Institute presents research on deflection impulses to move asteroids at 6th IAA PDC.

Asteroid Day celebrates its 5th anniversary with a 21-day global broadcast.

B612 launches ADAM Engineer Funding campaign.

2020

Asteroid Institute’s paper, “Required deflection impulses as a function of time before impact for Earth-impacting asteroids,” published in Icarus ADAM engineering team hired.

2021

Open-source code THOR is released and published in The Astronomical Journal

Asteroid Institute presents on characterizing the population of NEOs expected in the first year of LSST operations at 7th IAA PDC (virtual).

B612 sponsors and presents LSST Solar System Science Collaboration Conference.

2022

The New York Times publishes exclusive on the Asteroid Institute’s discovery of 104 asteroids using the THOR algorithm on ADAM.

Asteroid Institute releases precovery API on ADAM.

2023

ADAM::Precovery service publicly launches, discovering new observations of PHA 2022 SF289.

Schweickart Prize launches to recognize young researchers driving innovation in planetary defense.

Asteroid Institute presents precovery tool for orbit refinement at the 8th IAA PDC.

B612 sponsors and presents LSST Solar System Science Collaboration Conference.

Asteroid Institute presents at the Asteroids, Comets, Meteors Conference.

2024

The New York Times first reports on the Asteroid Institute’s discovery of 27,500 asteroids using THOR on the ADAM platform, powered by Google Cloud.

The Schweickart Prize is awarded to Joe DeMartini for his SUNSET Collaboration: Enhancing Planetary Defense through Advanced SNEO Detection proposal.

2025

Asteroid Institute presents on asteroid impact warning times in the Vera Rubin era at the 9th IAA PDC.

ADAM::Trajectory and Impact Probability services publicly launch.

ADAM platform with user access to services and scaled API available online.

SCHWEICKART PRIZE

2019

ASTEROID INSTITUTE

ASTEROID DISCOVERY ANALYSIS AND MAPPING (ADAM)

Associated Press survey reports that Americans view asteroid monitoring as a national priority.

Hayabusa2 collects samples from asteroid Ryugu.

ESA funds the Hera mission.

2020

LSST is renamed the Vera C. Rubin Observatory.

Hayabusa2 delivers asteroid sample to Earth

OSIRIS-REx collects a sample of asteroid Bennu.

2021

25th Anniversary of the NEAR Shoemaker mission.

OSIRIS-REx begins its return journey with samples of asteroid Bennu.

NASA launches the DART mission.

2022

DART spacecraft successfully crashes into asteroid Dimorphos, altering its orbit.

2023

OSIRIS-REx returns asteroid Bennu samples to Earth.

NASA launches the Psyche spacecraft to the metallic asteroid 16 Psyche.

A Pew Research poll shows Americans believe asteroid monitoring should be a national priority.

2024

Hera launches.

Rubin Observatory achieves system first light.

2025

OSIRIS-APEX cruises toward Apophis; rendezvous planned for 2029.

Schweickart Prize

In its second year, the Schweickart Prize recognized Jordan Stone, a PhD candidate at Imperial College London, and his team for a bold new idea in planetary defense. Alongside Kosuke Ikeya of Imperial College London, Jim Buhler of the University of Santiago de Compostela, and Youssef Saleh of Cairo University, Stone proposed the creation of the Panel on Asteroid Orbit Alteration (PAOA)—an international body dedicated to anticipating and managing the risks of unintentionally shifting asteroid orbits through human activity.

Their proposal calls attention to a future where asteroid mining, research missions, or even spacecraft malfunctions could alter the paths of near-Earth objects. The PAOA would ensure the world is prepared, bringing together science, engineering, and policy expertise to develop guidelines for a coordinated response.

The award was presented on June 30 by Apollo astronaut Rusty Schweickart in Flagstaff, Arizona, during Asteroid Day programming at Lowell Observatory and Meteor Crater. He was joined by his sons, Randy and Rusty B. Schweickart, who serve as Prize Co-Chairs. The $10,000 prize will help launch the PAOA effort, with part also supporting the Space Generation Advisory Council’s Cosmic Futures project— advancing the team’s vision and strengthening global dialogue on planetary defense.

Two honorable mentions were also recognized for their innovative contributions. Chloe Long and Anivid Pedros-Faura of the University of Colorado Boulder, together with Rahil Makadia of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, were commended for their proposal of the Asteroid Impact Guidance and Information System, designed to improve how critical information is communicated during impact scenarios. Nitya Pandey of the University of Chile was honored for YOSO (You Only Stack Once), an inventive method for detecting unseen near-Earth object threats.

With each year, the Schweickart Prize reaches more students, inspiring them to consider solutions for the many challenges of protecting Earth from asteroid impacts. Through the prize, we see how the legacy of Rusty Schweickart will be carried forward by generations to come.

A DECADE OF ASTEROID DISCOVERY

By Danica Remy

Ten years ago, I cofounded Asteroid Day with Apollo astronaut Rusty Schweickart, Queen guitarist and astrophysicist Dr. Brian May, and filmmaker Grig Richters. Our goal was to create the first-ever global day of action and education about asteroids. Modeled after TEDx and Earth Day, we imagined a movement where people around the world could host their own conversations about asteroids, planetary defense, and our shared future in space.

With a commitment to raising public awareness of both the risks and opportunities asteroids represent, in 2014, we launched the 100X Declaration — a call for improved discovery of near-Earth asteroids through better technology and investments by individuals, philanthropic organizations, governments, and businesses. Combined with the groundwork laid by Rusty and the Association of Space Explorers in 2008 with their report Asteroid Threats: A Call for Global Response, this momentum led the United Nations to recognize Asteroid Day as a global event in 2016.

The progress humanity has made since then has been significant. Planetary defense and asteroid science have moved from the margins to the forefront of space policy. Private businesses are pushing the boundaries of rapid access to asteroid knowledge, and space agencies worldwide have made major investments in asteroid missions like NASA’s DART and ESA’s Hera.

Public engagement has also soared. Pew Research Center surveys in 2018 and 2023 ranked monitoring asteroids as NASA’s top priority for Americans. Another major milestone was the introduction this year of a U.S. Senate resolution designating June 30 as Asteroid Day in the United States, spearheaded by former astronaut and Senator Mark Kelly (DAZ) and Senator John Cornyn (R-TX).

In 2017, I helped establish the Luxembourg-based Asteroid Foundation, with the support of the Luxembourg government, which today inspires independently organized Asteroid Day events worldwide. In Luxembourg, the local program has grown into multi-day events that bring astronauts into schools and classrooms. Over the years, B612 supported events at Lowell Observatory, Meteor Crater, California Academy of Sciences, Chabot Space and Science Center, Perot Museum, and many other US-based educational institutions.

I want to express my gratitude to Danica Remy for welcoming me as a volunteer and entrusting me with significant responsibilities over three years while organising Asteroid Day in Luxembourg. This was a stepping-stone in my career as a scientist.

PHILIPPINE GRIVEAUD

PHD, UNIVERSITÉ CÔTE D’AZUR

ASTEROID DAY INTERN 2017, 2018, 2019

Looking back, I’m grateful to the educators, students, scientists, engineers, philanthropists, and private companies worldwide who have helped advance humanity’s understanding of the risks and opportunities that asteroids present.

About Danica

As President of the B612 Foundation, Danica spearheads the organization’s strategy and operations. She is also a cofounder of Asteroid Day, a United Nationssanctioned day for education and awareness. A highly respected Silicon Valley executive, she has a track record of successfully leading startups, companies, and non-profits across diverse fields, including technology, internet services, education, and philanthropy.

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

In addition to presenting our research at scientific conferences, we share our mission with the broader public across a wide range of settings. From museums and observatories to podcasts and community events, our team adapts its communication to meet audiences where they are—making asteroid science and discovery accessible to all.

Dr. Ed Lu

EXPLORATORIUM AFTER DARK

Speaking at the Exploratorium’s After Dark event, Dr. Ed Lu highlighted the surge in space activity and underscored the importance of building a comprehensive solar system map to navigate both opportunities and risks.

December

April

Kathleen Kiker

ASTRONOMY

ON TAP

At Seattle’s Astronomy on Tap, Asteroid Institute engineer Kathleen Kiker presented research on asteroid 2024 YR4, briefly classified as hazardous in 2025, highlighting how rapid analysis tools aid risk assessment and response.

Scott Manley ROCKSTARS

During Asteroid Day programming at Meteor Crater Natural Landmark in Arizona, B612 Strategic Advisor and astronomer Scott Manley captivated audiences with stories of asteroids named after rock stars orbiting our Sun, while also sharing updates on the Asteroid Institute’s discovery efforts.

June

Rusty Schweickart STAR STUFF PODCAST

On Lowell Observatory’s Star Stuff podcast, Apollo astronaut Rusty Schweickart reflected on spaceflight and stressed the need to detect and deflect asteroids, citing the Schweickart Prize’s role in raising awareness and inspiring future defenders.

Danica Remy + Delphine Veronese-Milin, CHABOT SPACE AND SCIENCE CENTER

B612’s Delphine Veronese-Milin and Danica Remy connected with families at the Chabot Space and Science Center during Space Week festivities. Children enjoyed hands-on activities featuring our astronaut cofounders, while parents learned about current efforts to find and track asteroids.

AugustOctober

Dr. Ed Lu METEOR CRATER, ARIZONA

At Meteor Crater, B612 was joined by astronaut Nicole Stott and other guests for an educational visit, where Dr. Ed Lu introduced the ADAM Platform, highlighting its opensource tools for analyzing astronomical datasets at scale.

OUR COMMUNITY IN ACTION

From interns to prize winners, our former community members are growing as scientists, engineers, writers, and leaders—building on lessons and inspiration from their time with B612 and the Asteroid Institute. Through the Schweickart Prize, internships, fellowships, and volunteer programs, we’ve seeded a network of rising professionals whose early experiences here spark lifelong innovation in space and STEM.

Phillipine Griveaud

2017–2019 Asteroid Day Intern

While studying physics at the University of Luxembourg, Philippine interned with Asteroid Day for three years. Inspired, she pursued her M.S. and Ph.D. in Astrophysics at the Observatory of the Côte d’Azur, completing her doctorate in 2024 on solar system formation. Now a postdoctoral fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, she continues her research while inspiring young women in science.

Manuel Bäuerle

2016 B612 Intern

At just 16 years old, Manuel left his hometown of Gaienhofen, Germany, in 2016 to complete a three-month internship with B612’s software engineers. The following year, he returned to support Asteroid Day events in Luxembourg. Today, after earning his B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Stuttgart, he develops electrical subsystems for industrial and space-based applications.

Joelle Byars

2019 B612 Intern

After completing her BA in 2019, Joelle joined B612 as a volunteer to support Asteroid Day events in Luxembourg. Her creativity and attention to detail quickly made her an integral part of the team, and led to a permanent event production, communications, and operations role. In addition, she is completing her Ph.D. in English Language and Literature at Morgan State University.

Joe DeMartini

2024 Schweickart Prize Winner

In 2024, Joseph (Joe) DeMartini stood under the dome of the Chabot Space & Science Center planetarium to accept the first-ever Schweickart Prize. His winning proposal, The Sunward NEO Surveillance and Early Twilight Detection (SUNSET) Collaboration, tackled one of the toughest challenges in asteroid detection—spotting objects hidden in the glare of the Sun. But what set Joe apart wasn’t only the idea, it was the passion and persistence behind it.

That drive carried him through years of doctoral research at the University of Maryland, where he explored everything from simulating asteroid surfaces to modeling granular dynamics, focusing particularly on the asteroid Apophis. In July 2025, he successfully defended his Ph.D., and almost immediately landed what he calls his dream opportunity. Joe is now headed to Helsinki, Finland, to join Dr. Mikael Granvik’s world-class research group, where he will help shape the next generation of asteroid population models.

In science, they say we stand on the shoulders of giants, but we only rise to those heights with the support of the folks who lift us up along the way.

JOE DEMARTINI, POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER, UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKI

For Joe, the Schweickart Prize marked a turning point: recognition at a critical stage and encouragement to keep pushing forward. As he begins this new chapter abroad, he carries with him the lessons of mentorship and learning that shaped his own path— and a commitment to pass that same inspiration on to the next generation of scientists.

STRATEGIC PARTNERS

B612 pursues strategic partnerships with leading scientific institutions, observatories, and technology companies to advance our mission. Together, these collaborations contribute expertise and resources that strengthen the development of ADAM, broaden public education, and raise global awareness of asteroids.

Through this network, we foster an ecosystem where shared knowledge drives innovation, sparks new solutions, and accelerates progress in asteroid science and discovery.

MEDIA COVERAGE

We engage and respond to respected media outlets to share our mission and expand public awareness. Through the press, we leverage the power of storytelling, sciencefocused journalism, and multimedia content to highlight the importance of asteroid discovery, tracking, and planetary defense.

Working with media outlets allows us to connect with a broad range of people, fostering public engagement and discussion.

JULY 1, 2025

Aviation Week’s Aerospace Daily & Defense Report covered this year’s Schweickart Prize, awarded to four students from the U.K., France, Japan, and Egypt for their proposal to establish a Panel on Asteroid Orbit Alteration (PAOA). The article highlights how this year’s proposal provided a forward-looking plan that addresses an emerging planetary defense challenge and underscores the role of B612’s Schweickart Prize in fostering actionable ideas for safeguarding Earth.

FOUNDING CIRCLE

ANONYMOUS**

ANONYMOUS x 6

Bill and Valerie Anders

Geoffrey Baehr

William K. Bowes, Jr. Foundation**

Brian Burton and James Mercer, Broken Bells

Don Carlson

Vinton and Sigrid Cerf

Y(LMC) and Dr. Clark Chapman

Emily and David Corrigan

Asa Denton

Esther Dyson

Alan Eustace

Sasha Galitsky

Eliot Gillum

*Leadership Circle

**Leadership Circle (sustaining)

Glaser Progress Foundation

Dane Glasgow

Steve and Julie Grimm

Garrett Gruener and Amy Slater

VK Hsu & Sons Foundation Ltd.

James D. and Justin Jameson

Margaret Jonsson Family Foundation

Steve Jurvetson*

Dominik Kaiser

Alison and Steve Krausz**

Vladas Lašas

James Leszczenski

David Liddle and Ruthann Quindlen

Suzanna Mak

Greg McAdoo

Laurie Girand and Scott McGregor**

ASTEROID CIRCLE

Maryann and John Montrym**

Matt Mullenweg

Diane Murphy

Peter Norvig

Shervin Pishevar

Peggy Rawls Family Fund

Ray Rothrock

Edwin Sahakian

Rusty Schweickart and Nancy Ramsey

Tim Trueman

Robert C. and Fallon B. Vaughn

Matthew and Sarah Welty

Ben Wheeler

Yishan Wong and Kimberly Algeri-Wong

Matt Wyndowe

ANONYMOUS x 2

Rick and Mary Armstrong

Barringer Crater Company

Rodney Brooks

Jim Chervenak

Explorers Club

FM Family Fund

Lynn and Anisya Fritz

Arthur Gleckler and Kristine Kelly

Jensen Huang

Jed McCaleb & Seemay Chou

Jonathan Nagin

Peter and Cathleen Schwartz

Hal Varian

Tito’s Handmade Vodka**

Al Werner

We have donors from 46 countries.

COMMUNITY OF SUPPORTERS

Gifts $500–$24,999*

Emil Barr

Duncan Beardsley

Michael and Tatiana Blum

Richard Bowen

Ryan Phelan and Stewart Brand

Jane Butcher

Scott and Leslie Case

John Clendenin

John Conery

Sean Devine

George and Janine Cornecelli

Tyler Edwards

Al Ender

Ray Erikson

Robert Epstein and Amy Roth

Claudia Fiaschetti

Frank and Kristine Fiaschetti

*From September 1, 2024, to October 1, 2025

Dennis and Pamela Polite Fisco

Bruce Fitzsimons

Andy and Lauren Freed

Patrick Garvey

Michael Gendler and Jessica Teich

Angela and Jeffrey Glosser

Glenn Griffith and Carrie Cooper

Jeffrey Hungerford

Robert Jasinski and Rebecca Harkness

Joel and Joy Kellman

Kevin Kelly and Germaine Fuh

Aki Korhonen

Pawan Kumar

Michelle and Christopher Levell

Samuel Lichtenstein

Scott and Amy Manley

John Kenneth Menges

Gary Miloglav

Sunil Nagaraj and Mary Kate Stimmler

Dave and Katherine Paul

Drummond Pike

Alida Rincon

Ron and Kirstie Rosano

David and Abby Rumsey

John Platt

Dirk Pranke

Scott Schneider

David Sharrow and Holly Kimball

Stroum Family Foundation

Chris Tellis and Isabella Kirkland

James Utz

Terry Vaskor

James and Katelyn Walker

Rogers Weed

Lawrence Wilkinson

As one of the earliest supporters of B612, I’m delighted at how far they have come — and where they are going. They’re not just creating new tools; they are also seeing more in old data using new methods.

ESTHER DYSON FOUNDER, INVENTOR, PHILANTHROPIST

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Peter Schwartz, Chair

Geoffrey Baehr

Dr. Clark Chapman, Cofounder

Garrett Gruener

Dr. Ed Lu, Cofounder

Danica Remy, President

Alida Ricon

Lawrence Wilkinson

ASTEROID INSTITUTE, A PROGRAM OF B612

Dr. Ed Lu, Executive Director

ADAM PROJECT TEAM

Alec Koumjian, Head of Engineering

Kathleen Kiker, Software Engineer

Dr. Joachim Moeyens, Research Engineer

Allan Posner, Engineer and Astrodynamicist

Nate Tellis, Software Engineer

RESEARCH COLLABORATORS

Dr. Marc Buie, Mission Scientist

John Carrico, Astrodynamicist

Dr. Siegfried Eggl, Research Collaborator

Hank Grabowski, Engineer and Astrodynamicist

Dr. Sarah Greenstreet, Senior Researcher

Dr. Scott Hubbard, Mission Strategist

Dr. Mario Juric, Research Collaborator

Emmie King, Software Engineer

Mike Loucks, Astrodynamicist

Samira Motiwala, Astrodynamicist

Dr. Harold Reitsema, Mission Director

Jeff Rothermel, Avionics Engineer

Dr. Sam Waldman, Avionics Engineer

Dr. Vivek Vittaldev, Mission Researcher

B612 FOUNDATION

Danica Remy, President

Joelle Byars, Finance & Operations Associate

Colleen Fiaschetti, Director of Special Projects

Merel Kennedy, Graphic Design

Delphine Veronese-Milin, Science & Operations Associate

ASTEROID DAY, A PROGRAM OF B612

Dr. Brian May, Cofounder, United Kingdom

Danica Remy, Cofounder, California, USA

Grig Richters, Cofounder, Germany

Rusty Schweickart, Cofounder, California, USA

www.b612.ai www.b612foundation.org