(163249) 2002 GT

(163249) 2002 GT
Discovery
Discovered by Spacewatch
Discovery date April 3, 2002
Designations
MPC designation (163249) 2002 GT
Apollo
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch JD 2456000.5
Aphelion 1.79 AU (Q)
Perihelion 0.89 AU (q)
1.34 AU (a)
Eccentricity 0.33
569.5 days
31.4° (M)
Inclination 6.97°
201.87°
134.99°
Physical characteristics
18.26[1]

    (163249) 2002 GT is an Apollo asteroid with an absolute magnitude of 18.26.[1] It is a potentially hazardous asteroid as its orbit crosses that of Earth.[2]

    In 2011, NASA considered sending the unmanned spacecraft Deep Impact toward the asteroid with the aim of performing a flyby[2] in 2020. It was uncertain whether Deep Impact carried sufficient fuel for this operation.[2]

    On November 24, 2011 and October 4, 2012, the space probe's thrusters were fired briefly for two trajectory correction maneuvers that targeted Deep Impact for an encounter with 2002 GT in 2020, possibly within a distance of no more than 400 kilometers. However, funding for the flyby mission was not guaranteed.[3] In June 2013 the asteroid was observed in radar by the Arecibo Observatory.[4]

    However, on August 8, 2013 NASA lost communication with the spacecraft, and on September 20, 2013, NASA abandoned further attempts to contact the craft.[5] According to A'Hearn,[6] the most probable reason of software malfunction was Y2K-like problem (at 11 August 2013 0:38:49 it was 2^32 of one-tenth seconds from 1 January 2000[7]).

    References

    1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 163249 (2002 GT)". 4 March 2009. Retrieved 2011-12-18.
    2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Stephen Clark, "Deep Impact sets path for asteroid encounter in 2020". Spaceflight Now. 18 December, 2011.
    3. ↑ Emily Lakdawalla blog entry: "Deep Impact targets possible 2020 asteroid flyby". 5 October, 2012.
    4. ↑ Asteroid and Comet Mission Targets Observed by Radar
    5. ↑ NASA calls off search for lost Deep Impact comet probe - Australian Broadcasting Corporation - Retrieved September 21, 2013.
    6. ↑ "NASA Declares End to Deep Impact Comet Mission Communication cutoff leads to loss of comet hunter, say space officials.". National Geographic. 20 September 2013.
    7. ↑ http://permalink.gmane.org/gmane.comp.time.tz/7588

    External links