Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 5,670,854 km of Earth in 2022
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2022 KA is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2022 KA 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.
2022 KA orbits the sun every 386 days (1.06 years), coming as close as 0.75 AU and reaching as far as 1.32 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2022 KA is probably between 0.016 to 0.073 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2022 KA's orbit is 0.01 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that its orbit is relatively close to Earth's orbit.
2022 KA has 5 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| May 28, 2022 | 5,670,854 | 8.550 |
| Dec. 15, 2025 | 16,379,775 | 12.519 |
| May 22, 2040 | 11,897,522 | 11.654 |
| Dec. 10, 2043 | 4,330,636 | 9.328 |
| Dec. 16, 2062 | 17,311,596 | 12.699 |
Images and Observations
2022 KA's orbit is determined by observations dating back to May 9, 2022. It was last officially observed on May 25, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 46 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2022 KA can be reached with a journey of 378 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 11.878 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 14 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2022 KA.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2022 KA:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.038 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.2754
- Inclination: 8.15°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 68.44°
- Argument of Periapsis: 277.07°
- Mean Anomaly: 11.8°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.045 km
- Magnitude: 25.15
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 386 days (1.06 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 29.26 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.32 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.75 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2022 KA 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 2022 KA 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.
