A massive asteroid and its hidden moon passed Earth recently

Space · Published 13 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The 1.7-mile-long asteroid 1998 QE2 made a significant approach to our planet. During its flyby, radar imaging revealed a surprising detail: this large space rock isn't traveling alone, but is accompanied by its own small, orbiting moon.

On May 31, the asteroid 1998 QE2 performed a relatively close flyby of Earth. During this event, experts from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex utilized radar technology to track and image the object. This surveillance led to the discovery that QE2 possesses a small moon, approximately 600 meters in width, orbiting the larger body. The live broadcast of this event was accessible to the public via NASA Television and the agency's official website.

The asteroid's approach was notable not just for the discovery of its satellite, but for its proximity. At its closest point, the asteroid remained about 3.6 million miles from Earth. For no less than two hundred years, no other encounter with this asteroid will bring it nearer to Earth. Such monitoring is part of a broader effort by NASA, as discussed by then-Administrator Charlie Bolden, to manage the risks posed by Near Earth Objects. This specific flyby represents the asteroid's most intimate approach to our world for at least the next two centuries.

While the asteroid's path is a primary focus for planetary defense, NASA also maintains constant vigilance over other orbital objects, such as the International Space Station (ISS). Unlike the asteroid's long-period approach, the ISS maintains a continuous human presence in orbit, traveling at approximately 17,500 miles per hour. To prevent collisions and maintain communication, flight controllers at the Johnson Space Center update the station's trajectory data roughly three times a week to account for atmospheric drag. The station's orbit is tilted at an inclination of 51.6 degrees, meaning it will not pass directly over locations like Alaska. To ensure precision, controllers at the Mission Control Center in Houston monitor its course and potential orbital collision risks.

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