The Spacious Structure of Asteroid 2011 MD
Sig14 017a

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle (IPAC)

Artwork • June 19th, 2014 • sig14-017a

sig14-017a

Observations from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope reveal new information about the structure of 2011 MD, a small asteroid being considered by NASA for its proposed Asteroid Redirect Mission, or ARM. Spitzer's infrared images helped reveal that this asteroid consists of about two-thirds empty space. One possible structure for such an asteroid is illustrated here: a loosely clumped group of boulders.

About the Object

Name
2011 MD
Type
Interplanetary Body > Asteroid