House-sized asteroid to pass Earth soon, says NASA; Know how close it will get | Tech News

House-sized asteroid to pass Earth soon, says NASA; Know how close it will get

NASA has discovered yet another asteroid with the help of its advanced ground and space-based telescopes, and it will pass Earth by a close margin on February 27. Know the details of this close encounter with Asteroid 2024 CT7.

By: HT TECH
| Updated on: Feb 26 2024, 12:07 IST
NASA Boeing Crew Flight Test mission set to launch historic Starliner spacecraft with astronauts
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1/7 Join NASA in witnessing a milestone moment as part of the Commercial Crew Program- the launch of NASA's Boeing Crew Flight Test to the International Space Station (ISS). This mission marks Boeing's inaugural crewed flight aboard the Starliner spacecraft. (NASA)
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2/7 NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will take off on this historic journey aboard the Starliner, to be launched by a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Their destination: the ISS, where they will spend up to two weeks conducting vital tests and experiments. (NASA)
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3/7 Mission Details: Scheduled for liftoff in mid-April 2024 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, the mission will evaluate the end-to-end capabilities of the Starliner system. This includes the launch, docking, and the spacecraft's return to Earth in the western United States desert. (@NASAKennedy)
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4/7 Certification Process: Following a successful mission, NASA will initiate the final certification process for the Starliner and its systems, paving the way for future crewed missions to the ISS. The outcome of this mission is crucial for the continued success of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. (NASA)
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5/7 Exclusive Photo Opportunity: U.S. media has the opportunity to apply for a unique photo opportunity during the rollout of the Starliner spacecraft from Boeing's Commercial Cargo and Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This event is scheduled for early April, adding an extra layer of excitement to the pre-launch preparations. (NASA)
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6/7 For those eager to be part of the action, NASA Social registration opens on Wednesday, Feb. 21, and closes at 3 p.m. EST on Tuesday, Feb. 27. This is a chance to engage with the mission online using #NASASocial. Registration is limited to U.S. citizens or permanent residents. (NASA)
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7/7 How to Watch and What's Next:  If you can't attend in person, don't worry! The launch will be broadcast on NASA Television and www.nasa.gov/nasatv/. Follow regular updates on @NASA, @NASAKennedy, and @Commercial_Crew. Stay tuned for more NASA Socials in the future, and watch for confirmation emails regarding your registration status by March 1. (NASA)
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Asteroid 2024 CT7 belongs to the Apollo group of Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs), says NASA. (Pixabay)

With the help of advanced tech marvels such as the NEOWISE telescope, Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), Pans-STARRS1, and Catalina Sky Survey, NASA has shed light on an asteroid that is expected to pass Earth by a close margin on February 27. While the asteroid will come close to Earth, it is not expected to impact the surface, the US Space Agency has further revealed. Know the details of this close encounter with Asteroid 2024 CT7.

Asteroid 2024 CT7: Close approach details

As per the details revealed by NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), Asteroid 2024 CT7 is expected to pass Earth at a distance of just 2.3 million kilometers. It is already travelling towards Earth in its orbit at 27762 kilometers per hour which is almost as fast as an Intercontinental Ballistic Missle (ICBM)!

Also Read: 5 massive asteroids to pass Earth in the coming days

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This space rock belongs to the Apollo group of Near-Earth Asteroids, which are Earth-crossing space rocks with semi-major axes larger than Earth's. These asteroids are named after the humongous 1862 Apollo asteroid, discovered by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth in the 1930s.

Other details

According to NASA, Asteroid 2024 CT7 has passed Earth before. It first passed the planet on June 5, 1949, at a distance of about 54 million kilometers. After today, it will come close to Earth again on April 17, 2035, at a distance of 52 million kilometers.

Is it dangerous?

NASA says that this asteroid does not threaten Earth due to its relatively small size. With a width of 52 feet, Asteroid 2024 CT7 is as big as a house. On the other hand, asteroids bigger than 492 feet and which pass Earth closer than 7.5 million kilometers are classified as ‘Potentially Hazardous Objects'.

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First Published Date: 26 Feb, 09:37 IST
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