Asteroids

A trio of missions are on track to intercept and study the famous near-Earth asteroid Apophis during its close encounter with our planet in April 2029.

Hayabusa2's new target, asteroid 1998 KY26, is just 36 feet (11 meters) across, which will make landing on it challenging.

The 1,115-foot-wide (340 meters) asteroid Apophis will pass closer to Earth than many satellites fly in April 2029, giving scientists and stargazers a rare front-row seat.

Water may have flowed on the asteroid that birthed the space rock Ryugu a billion years after it formed, much later than previously thought, changing our perception of the early solar system.

If we slam an impactor into an asteroid in exactly the wrong spot, the space rock may pass through a "gravitational keyhole" that brings it to Earth.

"Bennu is a time capsule of the material that was throughout the solar system."

The near-Earth asteroid's microscopic surface tells a detailed story.

Asteroid Ryugu is proving to be one of the most scientifically valuable time capsules in the solar system.

The techniques used to target the asteroids could also be employed in tracking hazardous asteroids and interstellar objects.