NASA Warns of Asteroid from Apollo Group Approaching Earth
NASA’s Psyche mission, which has faced multiple delays, is finally scheduled to launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Laurie Leshin, the director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, expressed confidence in the upcoming asteroid mission, stating, “With just one month remaining, we are well-prepared.” The objective of the Psyche mission is to investigate the asteroid named 16 Psyche, which contains valuable deposits of gold, nickel, and iron. NASA estimates that the asteroid’s worth could surpass the combined value of the world’s economy. Additionally, the asteroid’s outer surface, rich in nickel, bears a striking resemblance to the core of an early planet.
It is worth almost 10 quadrillion dollars and that is why NASA has planned a mission to this asteroid to study its composition.
In a separate development, NASA has released information about an asteroid hurtling toward Earth, with plans to approach it soon.
Asteroid 2023 RH details
The asteroid, named Asteroid 2023 RH by NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), will make its closest approach to Earth tomorrow, September 8, at a distance of just 1.6 million kilometers. It is hurtling toward Earth at a terrifying speed of 28,544 kilometers per hour. Asteroid 2023 RH belongs to Apollo’s group of Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs).
Although this asteroid is traveling at a shockingly fast speed, it is not large enough to cause catastrophic damage to Earth. At nearly 91 feet wide, it can be compared to a huge airplane! It belongs to Apollo’s group of Near-Earth Asteroids, which are Earth-passing space rocks with semi-major axes larger than Earth’s. These asteroids are named after the huge 1862 Apollo asteroid discovered by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth in the 1930s.
Importance of studying asteroids
Scientists study asteroids to learn more about the early solar system and the conditions that existed when the planets formed. Asteroids can also provide valuable natural resources such as water, metals and other minerals. Asteroid research is critical because it can provide valuable information about the early stages of solar system and planetary development. In addition, these celestial bodies may contain useful resources such as metals and water that can be exploited in future space missions.
