Introduction the international astronomical search collaboration (iasc) is an online research program for students from high schools, colleges, and universities. Started in october 2006 at…

Hardin-Simmons University, a private university in Abilene, Texas, was awarded a $734,272.68 research grant from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Shared Services Center. The grant supports the university's International Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC) program, an online platform enabling high school, college, and university students as well as citizen scientists to search for discoveries related to main belt asteroids, near-Earth objects, and trans-Neptunian objects. The grant allows IASC to expand its network of citizen scientists from 4,900 to 27,500, including 17,500 students from 2,500 schools and 10,000 members of the general public. The grant does not have a set-aside designation. Hardin-Simmons University is the prime contractor, and the grant supports the university's research, education, and public service missions.

Introduction the international astronomical search collaboration (iasc) is an online research program for students from high schools, colleges, and universities. Started in october 2006 at hardin-simmons university (abilene, TX), 4,900 students a year participate from 700 schools located in 80 countries. They search through images from the 1.8-m pan-starrs telescope (F51) at the university of hawaii looking for main belt asteroid (MBA) discoveries. They also discover near-earth objects (neos) and trans-neptunian objects (tnos). They search through images from the 1.5-m catalina sky survey telescope (G96) at the university of arizona looking for mbas and neos. Their observations are vetted by iasc and reported to the minor planet center (MPC). To date the citizen scientists have>1310 provisional MBA discoveries and 45 numbered discoveries, including 2 tnos. There are have been 10 NEO discoveries, one of which 2009 BD81 is potentially hazardous. Follow-UPS are provided by a number of telescopes located at the LAS cumbres observatory, G.V. Schiaparelli observatory (northern italy), western kentucky university (kitt peak), and magdalena ridge observatory. Proposal iasc proposes the following NEO research program using an online discovery program for an expanded worldwide network of students and citizen scientists from the general public: 1. The 1.8-m pan-starrs telescope at the university of hawaii is used to search for NEO discoveries in support of the NASA near- earth object program. In every few fields, there are faint neos with low snrs not reported to the minor planet center via the PS automated detection system (mops). However, these faint neos can often be detected by human observers. 2. The 1.5-m G96 telescope of the catalina sky survey is used to search for NEO discoveries in support of the NASA near-earth object program. There are faint neos buried among the false detections that are not reported. However, these missed neos can be identified by human observers, who can often distinguish between false and real detections. An online discovery platform will be developed to distribute images from both the 1.8-m pan-starrs telescope and 1.5-m catalina sky survey telescope to a worldwide network of citizen scientists. The network will be expanded from 4,900 to 27,500 citizen scientists, including 17,500 students from 2,500 schools and 10,000 citizen scientists from the general public. This network will search through these images, identifying the neos undetected by the two surveys. Follow-up astrometry will be made by iasc and submitted to the MPC. If possible, precovery of the neos by the network will be made in PS and CSS images archived 1-7 days earlier. Iasc will prepare the astrometry from these supporting precoveries and report them to the MPC. Preparatory materials will be provided for interested individuals wanting to participate in the online platform for NEO discovery. Included in these materials will be an extensive use of the digital badging program by the NASA asteroid grand challenge.