2021 LR2 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2021 LR2 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 LR2 orbits the sun every 375 days (1.03 years), coming as close as 0.78 AU and reaching as far as 1.26 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2021 LR2 is probably between 0.017 to 0.078 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
2021 LR2'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 LR2 has 5 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
---|---|---|
May 30, 2020 | 24,891,632 | 6.647 |
May 19, 2021 | 5,871,381 | 8.382 |
May 22, 2022 | 20,535,817 | 11.951 |
May 19, 2062 | 5,668,615 | 9.095 |
May 24, 2063 | 26,029,393 | 12.945 |
2021 LR2's orbit is determined by observations dating back to June 5, 2021. It was last officially observed on June 11, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 21 observations used to determine its orbit.
2021 LR2 can be reached with a journey of 378 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 11.112 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 122 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2021 LR2.
The position of 2021 LR2 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.
The below comparison is an artistic rendering that uses available data on the diameter of 2021 LR2 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.