2022 RD2 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2022 RD2 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 RD2 orbits the sun every 383 days (1.05 years), coming as close as 1.00 AU and reaching as far as 1.07 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2022 RD2 is probably between 0.003 to 0.015 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
2022 RD2'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.
2022 RD2 has 5 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 3, 2022 | 3,208,884 | 0.818 |
| Dec. 22, 2022 | 5,320,690 | 1.128 |
| Jan. 26, 2044 | 988,110 | 1.056 |
| June 25, 2044 | 1,036,895 | 0.944 |
| June 17, 2045 | 18,971,504 | 4.052 |
NASA Sentry has assessed impact risk for 98 very close approach scenarios. Here are the top scenarios ordered by probability of impact:
| Date | Probability of Impact (%) | Impact Energy (Mt) |
|---|---|---|
| Dec. 19, 2087 | 0.01382 | 0.00564 |
| March 18, 2116 | 0.00334 | 0.005637 |
| March 11, 2118 | 0.00278 | 0.005642 |
| May 7, 2083 | 0.00227 | 0.005639 |
| Sept. 9, 2118 | 0.00202 | 0.005641 |
| May 16, 2087 | 0.00198 | 0.005643 |
| Jan. 1, 2122 | 0.00192 | 0.005645 |
| Dec. 8, 2105 | 0.00174 | 0.005644 |
| Nov. 27, 2112 | 0.00143 | 0.005645 |
| July 14, 2116 | 0.00140 | 0.005636 |
| Sept. 16, 2119 | 0.00135 | 0.005639 |
| Jan. 2, 2122 | 0.00126 | 0.005646 |
| Sept. 26, 2122 | 0.00118 | 0.005636 |
| March 23, 2113 | 0.00098 | 0.00564 |
| March 21, 2114 | 0.00090 | 0.005635 |
| Aug. 1, 2122 | 0.00084 | 0.005643 |
| Sept. 18, 2118 | 0.00081 | 0.005644 |
| Sept. 26, 2121 | 0.00079 | 0.005635 |
| Sept. 18, 2117 | 0.00072 | 0.005642 |
| Sept. 26, 2120 | 0.00066 | 0.005636 |
| Dec. 7, 2098 | 0.00063 | 0.005642 |
| March 18, 2115 | 0.00062 | 0.005638 |
| Jan. 8, 2119 | 0.00062 | 0.005643 |
| Sept. 28, 2119 | 0.00058 | 0.00564 |
| Jan. 1, 2115 | 0.00057 | 0.005641 |
| March 29, 2111 | 0.00052 | 0.005643 |
| Sept. 24, 2117 | 0.00049 | 0.005638 |
| Sept. 23, 2118 | 0.00047 | 0.005642 |
| Sept. 15, 2117 | 0.00043 | 0.005642 |
| Sept. 22, 2120 | 0.00042 | 0.005644 |
| Oct. 13, 2120 | 0.00039 | 0.005638 |
| Sept. 27, 2118 | 0.00038 | 0.005645 |
| Sept. 28, 2117 | 0.00037 | 0.005642 |
| Oct. 14, 2119 | 0.00037 | 0.00564 |
| Sept. 29, 2109 | 0.00037 | 0.005646 |
| Dec. 9, 2116 | 0.00030 | 0.005644 |
| Sept. 25, 2115 | 0.00029 | 0.005643 |
| Sept. 28, 2116 | 0.00029 | 0.005637 |
| Jan. 10, 2120 | 0.00029 | 0.005639 |
| Dec. 5, 2117 | 0.00026 | 0.005642 |
| Sept. 26, 2114 | 0.00025 | 0.005644 |
| Sept. 29, 2115 | 0.00023 | 0.005643 |
| March 26, 2112 | 0.00022 | 0.005645 |
| Oct. 11, 2121 | 0.00021 | 0.005639 |
| Sept. 29, 2114 | 0.00019 | 0.005644 |
| July 10, 2120 | 0.00018 | 0.005644 |
| Aug. 9, 2109 | 0.00018 | 0.005636 |
| Oct. 24, 2113 | 0.00017 | 0.005644 |
| Jan. 5, 2117 | 0.00016 | 0.005641 |
| Aug. 16, 2110 | 0.00015 | 0.005643 |
| Aug. 22, 2111 | 0.00015 | 0.005638 |
| Sept. 16, 2116 | 0.00014 | 0.005636 |
| Oct. 3, 2116 | 0.00014 | 0.005639 |
| Aug. 3, 2108 | 0.00013 | 0.00564 |
| Dec. 6, 2111 | 0.00013 | 0.005641 |
| March 21, 2113 | 0.00012 | 0.005641 |
| March 31, 2110 | 0.00012 | 0.005636 |
| Dec. 11, 2102 | 0.00011 | 0.005643 |
| Oct. 3, 2119 | 0.00011 | 0.005636 |
| Sept. 30, 2112 | 0.00011 | 0.00564 |
| Oct. 4, 2115 | 0.00011 | 0.005642 |
| Oct. 2, 2109 | 0.00011 | 0.005641 |
| Dec. 4, 2116 | 0.00010 | 0.005644 |
| May 1, 2117 | 0.00009 | 0.00564 |
| April 27, 2096 | 0.00009 | 0.005645 |
| July 13, 2118 | 0.00009 | 0.005641 |
| Dec. 22, 2120 | 0.00009 | 0.005635 |
| Nov. 1, 2113 | 0.00008 | 0.005644 |
| Oct. 9, 2106 | 0.00008 | 0.005637 |
| Sept. 13, 2115 | 0.00008 | 0.005642 |
| Aug. 12, 2114 | 0.00008 | 0.005641 |
| Nov. 19, 2113 | 0.00008 | 0.005643 |
| Dec. 11, 2101 | 0.00006 | 0.00564 |
| Oct. 4, 2112 | 0.00006 | 0.005642 |
| Oct. 24, 2118 | 0.00006 | 0.005646 |
| Dec. 15, 2101 | 0.00006 | 0.005646 |
| Dec. 28, 2117 | 0.00006 | 0.005639 |
| Dec. 5, 2112 | 0.00005 | 0.005639 |
| Jan. 25, 2117 | 0.00005 | 0.005644 |
| Aug. 1, 2105 | 0.00005 | 0.005645 |
| Oct. 6, 2109 | 0.00004 | 0.005641 |
| Dec. 16, 2106 | 0.00004 | 0.005644 |
| Dec. 10, 2118 | 0.00004 | 0.00564 |
| Dec. 15, 2109 | 0.00004 | 0.005637 |
| Nov. 17, 2122 | 0.00004 | 0.005646 |
| Nov. 7, 2103 | 0.00004 | 0.005645 |
| Oct. 19, 2120 | 0.00003 | 0.005642 |
| Oct. 25, 2117 | 0.00003 | 0.005643 |
| Aug. 23, 2102 | 0.00003 | 0.005643 |
| May 6, 2087 | 0.00003 | 0.005636 |
| July 15, 2110 | 0.00002 | 0.005643 |
| Nov. 20, 2104 | 0.00002 | 0.005641 |
| Dec. 3, 2119 | 0.00002 | 0.00564 |
| Aug. 8, 2111 | 0.00002 | 0.00564 |
| Jan. 21, 2119 | 0.00002 | 0.005635 |
| March 16, 2122 | 0.00001 | 0.005642 |
| Oct. 31, 2118 | 0.00001 | 0.005642 |
| Nov. 10, 2115 | 0.00000 | 0.005639 |
2022 RD2's orbit is determined by observations dating back to July 31, 2022. It was last officially observed on Oct. 23, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 45 observations used to determine its orbit.
2022 RD2 can be reached with a journey of 362 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 3.516 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 4,296,693 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2022 RD2.
The position of 2022 RD2 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.