Key Facts
- Categorized as a Aten-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 5,263,935 km of Earth in 2021
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2021 KM is a very small asteroid whose orbit could bring it in close proximity to Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2021 KM 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 KM orbits the sun every 306 days (0.84 years), coming as close as 0.59 AU and reaching as far as 1.19 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2021 KM is probably between 0.013 to 0.060 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2021 KM's orbit is 0.03 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 KM has 30 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| May 4, 2021 | 5,263,935 | 8.969 |
| May 9, 2026 | 25,361,338 | 14.399 |
| Aug. 17, 2027 | 26,493,491 | 13.437 |
| Aug. 22, 2032 | 17,461,576 | 7.922 |
| May 6, 2047 | 11,116,641 | 7.738 |
| May 6, 2052 | 14,861,383 | 12.266 |
| Aug. 21, 2058 | 16,987,530 | 10.341 |
| Aug. 8, 2063 | 25,258,208 | 6.294 |
| May 16, 2073 | 20,229,728 | 6.816 |
| May 5, 2078 | 8,438,154 | 10.885 |
| Aug. 21, 2084 | 16,781,073 | 10.286 |
| June 8, 2094 | 28,788,421 | 7.102 |
| May 5, 2099 | 5,676,275 | 8.902 |
| May 10, 2104 | 28,734,636 | 15.103 |
| Aug. 19, 2105 | 22,892,047 | 12.532 |
| Aug. 20, 2110 | 21,705,408 | 6.554 |
| May 14, 2120 | 19,162,230 | 6.834 |
| May 7, 2125 | 11,627,865 | 11.600 |
| Aug. 23, 2131 | 15,962,617 | 9.621 |
| July 24, 2136 | 28,940,803 | 6.697 |
| June 11, 2141 | 29,230,976 | 7.119 |
| May 7, 2146 | 10,246,398 | 7.910 |
| May 9, 2151 | 18,441,301 | 12.982 |
| Aug. 23, 2157 | 15,888,741 | 9.527 |
| July 31, 2162 | 27,378,590 | 6.489 |
| May 14, 2172 | 19,053,114 | 6.831 |
| May 6, 2177 | 7,969,651 | 10.759 |
| Aug. 22, 2183 | 18,356,972 | 11.127 |
| Aug. 9, 2188 | 25,137,287 | 6.292 |
| May 11, 2198 | 16,061,763 | 7.076 |
Images and Observations
2021 KM's orbit is determined by observations dating back to May 17, 2021. It was last officially observed on May 19, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 23 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2021 KM can be reached with a journey of 370 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 10.978 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 3,053 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2021 KM.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2021 KM:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 0.8892 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.3373
- Inclination: 6.82°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 210.87°
- Argument of Periapsis: 244.64°
- Mean Anomaly: 27.16°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.037 km
- Magnitude: 25.58
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 306 days (0.84 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 31.61 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.19 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.59 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2021 KM 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.
Size Rendering
The below comparison is an artistic rendering that uses available data on the diameter of 2021 KM to create an approximate landscape rendering with New York City in the background. This approximation is built for full-resolution desktop browsers. Shape, color, and texture of asteroid are imagined.
