2021 LL15 is a very small asteroid whose orbit could bring it in close proximity to Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2021 LL15 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 LL15 orbits the sun every 350 days (0.96 years), coming as close as 0.64 AU and reaching as far as 1.31 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2021 LL15 is probably between 0.009 to 0.040 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
2021 LL15's orbit is 0.00 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that its orbit is relatively close to Earth's orbit.
2021 LL15 has 2 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| May 27, 2021 | 1,553,244 | 10.366 |
| Oct. 6, 2026 | 17,568,962 | 13.136 |
NASA Sentry has assessed impact risk for 11 very close approach scenarios. Here are the top scenarios ordered by probability of impact:
| Date | Probability of Impact (%) | Impact Energy (Mt) |
|---|---|---|
| May 25, 2073 | 0.00018 | 0.209 |
| May 25, 2073 | 0.00006 | 0.2113 |
| May 25, 2073 | 0.00004 | 0.2087 |
| May 25, 2073 | 0.00001 | 0.211 |
| May 25, 2073 | 0.00001 | 0.2095 |
| May 25, 2074 | 0.00001 | 0.21 |
| May 26, 2050 | 0.00000 | 0.2165 |
| May 26, 2107 | 0.00000 | 0.2112 |
| May 26, 2102 | 0.00000 | 0.2109 |
| May 25, 2078 | 0.00000 | 0.2149 |
| May 25, 2075 | 0.00000 | 0.2122 |
2021 LL15's orbit is determined by observations dating back to June 13, 2021. It was last officially observed on June 18, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 13 observations used to determine its orbit.
2021 LL15 can be reached with a journey of 450 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 10.465 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 2,313 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2021 LL15.
The position of 2021 LL15 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.