2022402134

Project 2022402134 (P2022402134) is an international space research program focused on the study of near‑Earth objects. The program was announced by NASA and the European Space Agency on 14 March 2022 and launched on 29 October 2023 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The payload consists of a 12‑month observation suite that includes high‑resolution optical cameras, a spectrometer, and a small lander module.

The primary objective of the mission is to determine the composition and thermal properties of the asteroid labeled 2022402134. Discovered in 2020, the asteroid follows a semi‑major axis of 1.23 AU and has an estimated diameter of approximately 250 meters. Data collected from the mission will be used to refine impact risk assessment models and enhance our understanding of asteroid surface geophysics.

Secondary objectives include the testing of autonomous navigation and real‑time data relay technologies intended for future deep‑space expeditions. Preliminary results released in 2025 indicate the surface of 2022402134 is dominated by silicate minerals, with a lower than expected thermal inertia suggesting a regolith layer.

The mission’s findings have been cited in several peer‑reviewed scientific journals, and its data set is publicly available through the Planetary Data System. As of 2026, the mission will complete its extended observations, with final data anticipated for release in early 2027.