2021 GD3 is a very small asteroid whose orbit approaches the orbit of Earth but does not cross it. NASA JPL has classified 2021 GD3 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.
2021 GD3 orbits the sun every 549 days (1.50 years), coming as close as 1.03 AU and reaching as far as 1.59 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2021 GD3 is probably between 0.007 to 0.031 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
2021 GD3'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.
2021 GD3 has 3 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| April 21, 2021 | 4,137,646 | 3.529 |
| April 30, 2024 | 4,381,883 | 3.534 |
| April 26, 2095 | 3,788,233 | 3.475 |
2021 GD3's orbit is determined by observations dating back to April 5, 2021. It was last officially observed on April 25, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 47 observations used to determine its orbit.
2021 GD3 can be reached with a journey of 386 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 8.358 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 58,766 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2021 GD3.
The position of 2021 GD3 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.