Asteroid 2010 KQ: Probably a Rocket Body

) wrote:
Near-infrared spectral measurements of this object carried out by S.J.
Bus (University of Hawaii) using the NASA IRTF telescope on Mauna Kea,
Hawaii, indicate that its spectral characteristics do not match those of
any of the known asteroid types, and in fact are similar to those of a
rocket body.

As an aside, Bus was co-creator of the SMASS taxonomy for asteroids, so
he should know! Interestingly, SMASS buildt upon a taxonomy developed
by David Tholen, who _also_ works for University of Hawaii... which is
clearly hoarding asteroid taxonomists.

-D

--
djb@ | Dan Birchall, Night Operation Assistant, Subaru Telescope/NAOJ.
naoj | Views I express are my own, obviously not those of my employer.
..org | I need to practice "First Responder" skills. Go hurt yourself?

There was a small article in Sky & Telescope a while back (few years maybe)
where they beliveve they had identified an "Asteroid" as one of the Saturn
stages from Apollo that went into solar orbit. Later launches featured
planned crashes of the upper stage on the lunar surface. If I remember
correctly the spectral characteristics matched the paint used on the
Saturns.

Val Kraut

On May 30, 9:46�am, "Val Kraut" wrote:
There was a small article in Sky & Telescope a while back (few years maybe)
where they beliveve they had identified an "Asteroid" as one of the Saturn
stages from Apollo that went into solar orbit. Later launches featured
planned crashes of the upper stage on the lunar surface. If �I remember
correctly the spectral characteristics matched the paint used on the
Saturns.

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Val Kraut

wouldnt it t be great to visit that booster and take a look.

are there any telescopes that could image it to detail level?

On 5/30/2010 5:46 AM, Val Kraut wrote:
There was a small article in Sky& Telescope a while back (few years maybe)
where they beliveve they had identified an "Asteroid" as one of the Saturn
stages from Apollo that went into solar orbit. Later launches featured
planned crashes of the upper stage on the lunar surface. If I remember
correctly the spectral characteristics matched the paint used on the
Saturns.

Yeah, the spectrum showed titanium, which would be really odd for an
asteroid, but was in the white paint used on the S-IVB stage.
There has been speculation that it is the upper stage from the Soviet
Proton rocket used to launch the Luna 23 sample return mission launched
on October 28, 1974:
http://www.universetoday.com/2010/05...iting-the-sun/
The stage is called the Block D/DM, and there is a photo of one on a
proton with a Zond attached to it as well as a diagram of it he
http://www.myspacemuseum.com/zond.htm
The panel encircling the spherical propellant tank is probably a
sunshade to keep the LOX from overheating from sunlight exposure.

Pat