NASA Detects Asteroid Traveling at High Speed of 41100 kmph Towards Earth

The recent discovery of the 16 Psyche asteroid has been incredibly surprising. This asteroid, one of the largest in our solar system, is composed of valuable gold, nickel, and iron deposits. NASA estimates that its worth surpasses the entire economy of Earth, amounting to an astonishing $10 quadrillion. In order to closely examine this celestial body, NASA is currently in the last stages of preparing for the Psyche Mission. This mission involves a momentous journey of 4 billion kilometers to reach the asteroid. The launch is set for October 5, and the Psyche spacecraft is undergoing final preparations for liftoff at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA has now revealed important information about the asteroid that will make its closest approach to Earth today, and while it’s not made up of rare earths, it’s passing very close.

Asteroid 2023 OR1

The increasing number of near-Earth asteroids has made continuous monitoring by space agencies such as NASA and ESA essential. One such asteroid is Asteroid 2023 OR1, which will come very close to Earth tomorrow, July 27th. According to NASA, this space rock will come as close as 1.2 million kilometers during its closest approach, and is already on its way, flying at a terrifying speed of 41,100 kilometers per hour.

The space agency has also revealed that Asteroid 2023 NP belongs to the group of Aten asteroids, which are Earth-crossing Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs) with semi-major axes smaller than Earth’s. They are named after the asteroid 2062 Ate, and the first of their kind was discovered by American astronomer Eleanor Helin at the Palomar Observatory on January 7, 1976.

Although this asteroid passes very close to Earth, it is not large enough to be called a potentially hazardous asteroid. Asteroid 2023 OR1 is only 56 feet across and is almost the size of a house.

Previous approaches

This is not the first time this asteroid has come close to Earth. In fact, its first approach was on July 26, 1954 at a distance of 5.4 million kilometers. After today, its next closest approach will be on July 22, 2032, when it will pass at a distance of 6.1 million kilometers.