By 
June 9th, 2026
Asteroid Day 2026 explores both the risks asteroids pose to our planet and the extraordinary opportunities they represent for science and exploration.
Five astronauts are converging in Arizona for Asteroid Day, a special event presented by Lowell Observatory, Meteor Crater, and Meteor Crater Education Alliance, with support from the B612 Foundation.
B612 develops tools and technologies to understand, map, and navigate our solar system and protect our planet from asteroid impacts through its Asteroid Institute program and supporting educational programs.
Arizona: asteroid country
Asteroid Day Arizona 2026 is being held June 26-27 in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Image credit: Meteor Crater, Arizona: Arizona Geological Survey – AZGS/Dale Nations
“From Luxembourg to Lagos, São Paulo to Mumbai, Asteroid Day has grown into a truly global movement: hundreds of events, more than 190 countries, every June 30. But some places carry the asteroid story in the ground itself. Arizona has been asteroid country for fifty thousand years. We are just making it official,” notes Danica Remy, president of B612 Foundation and co-founder of Asteroid Day.
Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart.
Image credit: B612 Foundation/Danica Remy
Schweickart prize
Every year, a prize is awarded to a young scientist working on one of the most important problems our civilization faces: what to do about the rocks in space that could one day threaten life on Earth.
That prize bears the name of Rusty Schweickart, Apollo 9 astronaut and co-founder of B612 and Asteroid Day.
As one of the foremost advocates for planetary defense, Schweickart has long supported building the science, technology, and policies needed to detect and deflect asteroids before they can do what the rock that carved a mile-wide crater into the Arizona desert did some fifty thousand years ago.
“Every year the Schweickart Prize reminds me of why we started B612 in the first place,” Schweickart explains. “The scientists who will defend this planet are out there right now, early in their careers, working on ideas that most people haven’t heard of yet. This prize finds them and says: we see you, we believe in you, and this work matters. That is not a small thing.”
For details about the Schweickart Prize, go to:
https://www.schweickartprize.org/
Program participants
Joining Schweickart for Asteroid Day Arizona 2026:
- Anousheh Ansari, the first Iranian-American in space and first female private space explorer
- Ed Lu, a three-time NASA astronaut and B612 co-founder
- Nicole Stott, four-time NASA astronaut and internationally recognized space artist
- Steve Smith, four-time Space Shuttle astronaut and Arizona native
Also taking part in the event is space science communicator, Scott Manley, as well as Schweickart’s twin sons, Randy and Rusty B. Schweickart, who serve as co-chairs of the Schweickart prize.
The Schweickart prize winner will be announced publicly on June 23 via a live online event open to the press and the public. The formal award ceremony follows on June 27 at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, where Schweickart will personally present the $10,000 grant alongside a physical prize that includes a meteorite.
Image credit: Heritage Auctions
Apollo memorabilia
Alongside the Schweickart prize, Heritage Auctions will open a Space Exploration sale on June 23, featuring personally flown Apollo memorabilia from Schweickart himself, consigned by B612, with proceeds supporting the prize.
For auction details, go to:
https://b612foundation.org/schweickart-space-collection-auction-june-2026/
B612 is also launching a separate auction of unflown Schweickart memorabilia. Bidding is now open and will close at 9 pm Pacific Daylight Time on June 26, with proceeds benefiting the Schweickart Prize.
For memorabilia details, go to:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/schweickart-prize-auction
To access the full Asteroid Day Arizona 2026 program and available ticketing, go to:
https://www.asteroiddayaz.com/
Also, go to the B612 Foundation at:
Imge credit:
Lowell Observatory
Posted in Space News
