The NEO-MAPP Project (Near-Earth Object Modelling and Payloads for Protection)

The NEO-MAPP project, part of the Horizon 2020 innovation and research program led by the European Commission, concluded in 2022. This project focused on two key areas:

a) The advancement and adaptation of modeling capabilities for specific cases involving near-Earth asteroids.
b) The development of instruments, technologies, and data exploitation models to support Near-Earth Object (NEO) missions.

NEO missions have garnered significant interest from key players in scientific and technological fields, as they offer a range of applications, from basic science and planetary defense to space commerce, such as mining and resource extraction. These sectors require advanced knowledge and modeling capabilities of asteroid properties, as well as technologies for proximity operations and precise measurements. The multidisciplinary approach of NEO-MAPP was essential in providing significant improvements in these areas.

The University of Alicante, through the Planetary Sciences section of the Astronomy and Astrophysics research group, played a prominent role in this large international consortium.

Future Opportunities
Although the NEO-MAPP project has concluded, the successes achieved and the capabilities developed through this collaboration open the door to future projects. The Planetary Sciences research group at the University of Alicante continues to participate in international initiatives, and new collaboration opportunities in planetary defense and near-Earth object exploration are likely to emerge in the coming years.