The government emphasises that the risk of a large asteroid impact in the near future is remote.

BBC: Asteroid impact centre site selected

"While an investigation report into a remote 440km per hour (270 mph) impact crash and subsequent fire which destroyed much of the evidence is always open to criticism, based on its initial reading of the 75 page report, the ATSB does not accept the coroner's criticisms, " it said in a statement.

BBC: Australian 'ghost flight' still a mystery

The DoD's sensor funding can be expected to bear fruit for the medical services industry, as advanced remote physiological sensing and monitoring could have an enormous impact on home monitoring in the nursing industry.

FORBES: Nanotech On The Front Lines