Asteroid Threat Archives -

NASA warns building-sized asteroid 2022 YS5 set for close Earth flyby on July 17; here’s why scientists are on alert |– timesofindia.indiatimes.com

pgnewser July 17, 2025

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Asteroid 2022 YS5 is a building-sized asteroid that is scheduled to make a close approach to Earth on July 17, capturing the attention of astronomers, scientists, and space agencies worldwide. Although the asteroid is expected to fly past Earth at a safe distance, the event underscores the increasing importance of planetary defense systems, ongoing asteroid monitoring, and global cooperation in space. Both NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have confirmed that 2022 YS5 poses no threat, but are treating this event as a timely reminder of the need for continued vigilance and preparedness.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has officially confirmed that asteroid 2022 YS5, measuring approximately 120 feet (36.5 meters) in diameter, will pass Earth at a distance of about 4.15 million kilometers (roughly 2.58 million miles). While that may sound like a vast distance, it is considered relatively close in astronomical terms, especially given the asteroid’s speed of over 14,000 miles per hour (22,500 km/h).2022 YS5 belongs to the Aten group of near-Earth asteroids, known for having orbits that can cross Earth’s path. However, NASA has made it clear that this particular asteroid does not qualify as potentially hazardous, as it does not meet the two key risk criteria:

Proximity: Within 7.4 million kilometers (4.6 million miles) of Earth

Size: Greater than 85 meters in diameter

Since 2022 YS5 falls short on both counts, its flyby is being monitored but not considered dangerous.

NASA raises the odds that an asteroid could hit the moon in 2032– www.space.com

pgnewser June 10, 2025

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Asteroid 2024 YR4, once considered the highest impact risk to Earth ever recorded, is back in the spotlight — this time due to a slight increase in the chance that it could impact the moon in 2032.

Although now too distant to observe from Earth, the asteroid briefly came into view in May for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Using data from the telescope’s Near-Infrared Camera, a team led by Andy Rivkin of the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory refined predictions of where 2024 YR4 will be on Dec. 22, 2032 by nearly 20%. That revised trajectory nudged the odds of a lunar impact from 3.8% to 4.3%, according to a NASA update.

“As data comes in, it is normal for the impact probability to evolve,” the statement read. Even if a collision occurs, “it would not alter the moon’s orbit.”