Key Facts
- Categorized as a Aten-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 2,848,669 km of Earth in 2022
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2022 LA3 is a very small asteroid whose orbit could bring it in close proximity to Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2022 LA3 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 LA3 orbits the sun every 279 days (0.76 years), coming as close as 0.61 AU and reaching as far as 1.06 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2022 LA3 is probably between 0.011 to 0.049 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2022 LA3's orbit is 0.01 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 LA3 has 11 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| June 18, 2022 | 2,848,669 | 7.237 |
| April 24, 2025 | 25,779,397 | 8.908 |
| June 22, 2035 | 13,866,143 | 9.220 |
| May 7, 2038 | 18,040,269 | 6.833 |
| May 31, 2051 | 10,403,842 | 6.305 |
| June 14, 2064 | 2,860,657 | 6.812 |
| June 22, 2100 | 19,031,844 | 10.195 |
| May 4, 2103 | 19,188,605 | 7.033 |
| June 18, 2113 | 3,019,071 | 7.228 |
| April 23, 2116 | 28,089,620 | 9.618 |
| June 17, 2168 | 2,642,320 | 7.065 |
Images and Observations
2022 LA3's orbit is determined by observations dating back to June 3, 2022. It was last officially observed on June 21, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 21 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2022 LA3 can be reached with a journey of 362 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 10.673 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 598 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2022 LA3.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2022 LA3:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 0.8354 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.2665
- Inclination: 9.54°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 261.96°
- Argument of Periapsis: 159.96°
- Mean Anomaly: 84.38°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.030 km
- Magnitude: 26.0
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 279 days (0.76 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 32.57 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.06 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.61 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2022 LA3 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 LA3 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.
