This space probe is heading off to investigate an asteroid

ON March 12, NASA will launch NEA Scout into space. This probe will be heading off to take a closer look at an asteroid whose orbit crosses that of the Earth. As its size is estimated to be similar to a school bus, it will become the smallest celestial body ever studied by a spacecraft.

Once in space, the probe will deploy a large aluminum-covered solar sail, which will allow it to move thanks to solar radiation. NEA Scout will be nearly 150 million kilometers from Earth when it encounters asteroid 2020 GE.

This is the first time that an asteroid less than 100 meters in diameter will be studied. Equipped with a camera, NEA Scout will take pictures to precisely measure its size, but also to determine its shape, its composition solid or dust-based and its rotation speed. The goal is to find out if it presents any danger, even if the risks of collision with the Earth remain low.

This probe will be launched as part of the very first unmanned flight of the Artemis program, which heralds the return of US astronauts to the Moon. The idea is to bring a crew to the Moon by 2024 before establishing a permanent base there, in turn serving as research for a future trip to Mars.