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| Near-Earth asteroids | |
|---|---|
| Name | Near-Earth asteroids |
| Category | Asteroids |
Near-Earth asteroids are small Solar System bodies whose orbits bring them into proximity with Earth's orbit, presenting both scientific opportunities and potential impact risk. They are studied by observatories such as Palomar Observatory, Arecibo Observatory, and European Southern Observatory facilities, tracked by agencies like NASA and European Space Agency, and catalogued in databases maintained by the Minor Planet Center and Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Research intersects projects and institutions including the Spaceguard Survey, the NEOWISE mission, and teams at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology, and University of Arizona.
The formal definitions derive from criteria used by organizations such as the International Astronomical Union and the Minor Planet Center, which classify objects by orbital parameters measured by facilities like Goldstone Observatory and Mauna Kea Observatories. Classes commonly referenced include groups analogous to the Apollo (asteroid group), Amor (asteroid group), and Aten (asteroid group), distinguished by semi-major axis, perihelion, and aphelion measured using methods developed at institutions including Jet Propulsion Laboratory and European Space Agency research centers. Objects are further designated by survey discoveries credited to projects such as LINEAR, Catalina Sky Survey, and Pan-STARRS under programs funded by agencies like NASA and supported by universities including University of Hawaii.
Orbital evolution models informed by the work of researchers at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Institut de Mécanique Céleste et de Calcul des Éphémérides, and Cornell University incorporate gravitational interactions with planets such as Jupiter, Mars, and Venus as well as non-gravitational forces studied by teams at Stanford University and University College London. Resonances with Jupiter and secular perturbations observed during campaigns involving Hubble Space Telescope and Gaia (spacecraft) influence transfer pathways from source regions in the Main Belt (asteroids) like the 3:1 Kirkwood gap and the ν6 secular resonance. Dynamical studies reference historic close approaches such as those involving (99942) Apophis and examine long-term stability using software from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and methods used in the Near-Earth Object Surveillance Mission planning.
Spectral taxonomy developed by teams at Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research links spectroscopic classes to samples returned by missions such as Hayabusa and OSIRIS-REx, with laboratory analyses at institutions like Johnson Space Center and JAXA laboratories. Composition ranges from carbonaceous material similar to CI chondrites to silicate-rich analogues resembling S-type asteroids and metal-rich bodies analogous to M-type asteroids, with physical characteristics—rotation, shape, porosity—measured via radar from Arecibo Observatory and Goldstone Observatory and lightcurve studies by observers at Lowell Observatory and Palomar Observatory.
Surveys led by programs and facilities such as LINEAR, Catalina Sky Survey, Pan-STARRS, NEOWISE, and missions operated by NASA and European Space Agency have dramatically increased the known population catalogued at the Minor Planet Center and modeled in studies by Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Historic milestones include discoveries by astronomers affiliated with Harvard College Observatory and observatories like Mount Palomar; modern survey networks involve collaborations with institutions such as Australian National University and University of Cambridge contributing follow-up observations. Population estimates and impact flux models are integral to assessments performed by panels convened at organizations such as United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs and advisory committees linked to National Research Council reports.
Risk assessment frameworks used by NASA, ESA, and the Planetary Defense Coordination Office apply probabilistic models from researchers at Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics to evaluate threats posed by close-approach objects exemplified by (29075) 1950 DA and (99942) Apophis. Mitigation strategies studied by teams at European Space Agency and NASA include kinetic impactor concepts tested by DART (spacecraft) and gravitational tractor proposals researched at Cornell University and Caltech. Policy discussions occur in forums such as United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and technical workshops hosted by International Academy of Astronautics.
Missions sampling or visiting these objects include NEAR Shoemaker, Hayabusa, Hayabusa2, OSIRIS-REx, and the DART (spacecraft) mission, with planning and analysis performed at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Future and proposed efforts involve concepts advanced by teams at ESA and universities such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology and University of Colorado Boulder for rendezvous, sample return, and resource characterization, with instruments built by organizations including Lockheed Martin and Ball Aerospace.
Interest from industry players like Planetary Resources and Deep Space Industries and advocacy groups such as B612 Foundation highlights economic prospects tied to asteroid mining and in-situ resource utilization studied by researchers at Colorado School of Mines and Stanford University. Cultural impacts appear in works such as films produced by Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros., novels published by Random House, and public engagement through institutions like Smithsonian Institution and events organized by American Astronomical Society. International policy and legal issues involving exploitation and access have been debated in contexts including the Outer Space Treaty and discussions at the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.
Category:Asteroids