It’s amazing how inaccurate stories can be circulated so fast on the web as valid news or buzz. The asteroid Apophis was originally reported on about three years ago, but just yesterday there were online rumors about the odds changing about it impacting the earth. I just got this emailed news statement from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

NEWS RELEASE #2008-063 dated 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:
Near Earth Object Observation Program http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov
NASA www.nasa.gov

Other Sources:
www.livescience.com

www.earthsky.org

www.astronomy.com

www.planetary.org

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Space Shuttle Discovery’s next mission is scheduled for a May 31st launch. The STS-124 mission is the second of three flights to deliver components of the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Kibo laboratory to the International Space Station.

With the increased pace of the shuttle program, it’s harder to keep up with their daily activities as it’s crews gear up to complete missions before the shuttle fleet is retired in 2010. However, Space Shuttle News can be found at nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/

NASA News:

The crew of the International Space Station will take part in a news conference on Tuesday April 15th at 10:00 am, CDT. The 30-minute conference will be broadcast live on NASA TV.

Members of the 17th crew of the station, Expedition 17 Commander Sergei Volkov and Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko, docked their Soyuz spacecraft to the station early Thursday. With them is South Korean spaceflight participant So-yeon Yi, who will stay on the complex for nine days under a commercial agreement with the Russian Federal Space Agency.

NASA-TV www.nasa.gov/ntv