Mapping Asteroids Does Not Mean Safety

He walks through the discovery of asteroid Ida and its moon Dactyl, noting how spacecraft missions have given us unprecedented detail on these objects. The mapping effort is real, the orbital data solid, and for this particular asteroid there is no near-term threat. But he is careful not to let that lull anyone into complacency. Just because we have cataloged some of the larger objects does not mean the threat is behind us. The historical record and the ongoing detection work both point to a reality that demands vigilance, not reassurance. The woods, as he puts it, are far from cleared.