2019 RP2 is a very small asteroid whose orbit approaches the orbit of Earth but does not cross it. NASA JPL has classified 2019 RP2 as a "Near Earth Asteroid" due to its orbit's proximity to Earth, but it is not considered potentially hazardous because computer simulations have not indicated any imminent likelihood of future collision.
2019 RP2 orbits the sun every 453 days (1.24 years), coming as close as 1.02 AU and reaching as far as 1.29 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2019 RP2 is probably between 0.003 to 0.013 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
2019 RP2's orbit is 0.02 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that there is a wide berth between this asteroid and Earth at all times.
2019 RP2 has 4 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 20, 2019 | 3,245,198 | 1.566 |
| Oct. 21, 2045 | 20,169,444 | 5.097 |
| Aug. 31, 2050 | 14,000,503 | 3.995 |
| Oct. 25, 2071 | 27,065,248 | 6.461 |
2019 RP2's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Sept. 6, 2019. It was last officially observed on Oct. 5, 2019. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 25 observations used to determine its orbit.
2019 RP2 can be reached with a journey of 450 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 6.905 km/s. To put this into perspective, the delta-v to launch a rocket to Low-Earth Orbit is 9.7 km/s. There are 262,621 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2019 RP2.
The position of 2019 RP2 is indicated by a ◯ pink circle. Note that the object may not be in your current field of view. Use the controls below to adjust position, location, and time.