1999 AO10

1999 AO10
Discovery [1]
Discovered by LINEAR
Discovery site Lincoln Laboratory's ETS
Discovery date 13 January 1999
Designations
MPC designation 1999 AO10
NEO · Aten [1]
Orbital characteristics [1]
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 6
Observation arc 33 days
Aphelion 1.0125 AU
Perihelion 0.8103 AU
0.9114 AU
Eccentricity 0.1109
0.87 yr (318 days)
293.75°
1° 7m 57.72s / day
Inclination 2.6236°
313.26°
7.6652°
Earth MOID 0.0220 AU · 8.6 LD
Physical characteristics
Dimensions 0.05 km (est. at 0.20[2]
23.9[1]

    1999 AO10 is a sub-kilometer sized asteroid, classified as near-Earth object of the Aten group, approximately 50 meters in diameter. It was first observed on 13 January 1999, by the LINEAR project at Lincoln Laboratory's ETS near Socorro, New Mexico, United States.[3] The asteroid has been the target of a proposed mission.

    Orbit

    1999 AO10 orbits the Sun at a distance of 0.8–1.0 AU once every 10 months (318 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.11 and an inclination of 3° with respect to the ecliptic.[1] The initial orbital elements were determined based on 16 observations made between January 13–15, 1999.[4]

    The asteroid has an Earth minimum orbital intersection distance of 0.0220 AU (3,290,000 km), which translates into 8.6 lunar distances.[1]

    Manned mission

    NASA has proposed a manned mission to the object during 2025 or later. 1999 AO10 is one of a handful of objects within the acceptable range for the mission and is also one of the largest objects that meets the qualifications. In this proposal, a pair of docked Orion spacecraft would spend 14 days at the object, for a total mission time of 155 days. The astronauts would return samples and help test spacefaring capabilities for a future Mars mission. The manned mission would be preceded by an unmanned probe to be sent in 2019 at the earliest.[5]

    References

    1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (1999 AO10)" (1999-02-15 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
    2. ↑ "Asteroid Size Estimator". CNEOS/JPL. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
    3. ↑ "1999 AO10". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
    4. ↑ Tichy, M.; Sicoli, P.; Testa, A.; Blythe, M.; Shelly, F.; Bezpalko, M.; et al. (January 1999). "1999 AO10". Minor Planet Electronic Circ. (1999-B04 (1999). (MPEC Homepage)). Bibcode:1999MPEC....B...04T. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
    5. ↑ http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2010/01/nasas-flexible-path-2025-human-mission-visit-asteroid/

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