NASA Statement on Student Asteroid Calculations

MEDIA RELATIONS OFFICE
JET PROPULSION LABORATORY
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
PASADENA, CALIF. 91109 TELEPHONE 818-354-5011
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov

DC Agle 818-393-9011
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
agle@jpl.nasa.gov

Dwayne Brown 202-358-1726
Headquarters, Washington
dwayne.c.brown@nasa.gov
NEWS RELEASE: 2008-063 April 16, 2008

NASA Statement on Student Asteroid Calculations

PASADENA, Calif. -- The Near-Earth Object Program Office at NASA's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., has not changed its current estimates for the very low
probability (1 in 45,000) of an Earth impact by the asteroid Apophis in 2036.

Contrary to recent press reports, NASA offices involved in near-Earth object research
were not contacted and have had no correspondence with a young German student, who
claims the Apophis impact probability is far higher than the current estimate.

This student's conclusion reportedly is based on the possibility of a collision with an
artificial satellite during the asteroid's close approach in April 2029. However, the
asteroid will not pass near the main belt of geosynchronous satellites in 2029, and the
chance of a collision with a satellite is exceedingly remote.

Therefore, consideration of this satellite collision scenario does not affect the current
impact probability estimate for Apophis, which remains at 1 in 45,000.

NASA detects and tracks asteroids and comets passing close to Earth. The Near Earth
Object Observation Program, commonly called "Spaceguard," discovers, characterizes
and computes trajectories for these objects to determine if any could be potentially
hazardous to our planet.

For more information, visit http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov .

For more information about JPL on the Internet, visit www.jpl.nasa.gov . For
information about NASA, visit www.nasa.gov .

-end-

To remove yourself from all mailings from NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, please go to http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=fhKUJ0OxEbLPIbI&s=iiLYL1MFKeKKI0OLLsF&m=mtKVK3PLJmJ8F