INSIDEN24.COM – NASA research at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) accurately tracks the orbits of all known near-Earth objects.
This is to predict the proximity of extraterrestrial planets to Earth, and make comprehensive impact hazard assessments in support of the Planetary Agency’s Office of Defense Coordination at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
According to NASA research, near-Earth objects are asteroids and comets with orbits that take them to a distance of 120 million miles (195 million kilometers) from the Sun.
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Most near-Earth objects are asteroids that range in size from about 10 feet (a few meters) to nearly 25 miles (40 kilometers) across.
The orbit of each object is calculated by finding the elliptical path through space that best fits all available observations, often spanning many orbits over years or decades.
As more observations are made, the accuracy of an object’s orbit increases dramatically, and it becomes possible to predict where an object will be in years or even decades in the future and whether it will be able to approach Earth?
The celestial body is very close to Earth, and therefore poses no impact risk, but a small proportion of potentially hazardous asteroids – requires more attention.
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