Feb. 4, 2013 The small near-Earth asteroid 2012 DA14 will pass
very close to Earth on February 15, so close that it will pass
inside the ring of geosynchronous weather and communications
satellites. NASA's Near-Earth Object Program Office can
accurately predict the asteroid's path with the observations
obtained, and it is therefore known that there is no chance that
the asteroid might be on a collision course with Earth.
Nevertheless, the flyby will provide a unique opportunity for
researchers to study a near-Earth object up close. Asteroid 2012
DA14 will be closest to Earth on Feb. 15, at about 11:24 a.m.
PST (2:24 p.m. EST and 1924 UTC), when it will be at a distance
of about 27,700 kilometers (17,200 miles) above Earth's surface.
Although this is close enough for the asteroid to pass inside
the ring of geosynchronous satellites, located about 35,800
kilometers (22,200 miles) above the equator, it will still be
well above the vast majority of satellites, including the
International Space Station. At its clo