2024 YR4 Asteroid No Longer a Threat to Earth
Scientists have announced that the probability of the 2024 YR4 asteroid colliding with Earth has now decreased to nearly zero. Previously thought to potentially collide with one of Earth’s most populated regions in 2032, the likelihood of impact has been reduced to 0.001% based on recent European Space Agency (ESA) calculations. NASA has calculated this probability to be 0.0017%. It has been stated that 2024 YR4 will pass safely by Earth in 2032, with no risk of collision in the next century.
NASA official Paul Chodas explained that during the initial observations, the collision probability reached as high as 3%, but detailed analysis over time has completely eliminated the risk. Although 2024 YR4 could collide with the Moon on December 22, 2032, this risk is also expected to diminish over time. Scientists estimate the asteroid’s size to be between 40 and 90 meters, and it is believed to approach Earth every four years. While Earth telescopes continue to monitor the asteroid, the Webb Space Telescope will make more detailed observations next month to determine its size. NASA emphasized that while 2024 YR4 no longer poses a threat to Earth, the data gathered is valuable for planetary defense systems.
Varda’s W-2 Capsule Successfully Lands in Australia
Varda Space Industries successfully landed its W-2 capsule in Australia on February 28, gathering critical data for hypersonic research and NASA’s thermal protection systems. The capsule, which had been in orbit for six weeks, landed at the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia, providing important information on reentry conditions at extreme speeds. Equipped with the OSPREE sensor from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), the capsule recorded real-time optical measurements of the plasma environment during reentry. Muk Pandian, Varda’s Director of Strategic Partnerships, emphasized that this type of aerothermal chemistry cannot be simulated on Earth, highlighting the importance of these tests for understanding hypersonic conditions.
Weighing 120 kilograms, the capsule was launched into space using a satellite platform provided by Rocket Lab and featured a heat shield developed in collaboration with NASA’s Ames Research Center. The W-2, launched on January 14, 2025, via SpaceX’s Transporter-12 mission, marked the first mission of the long-term agreement between Varda and AFRL. The company announced that the capsule would be taken to its headquarters in Los Angeles after being examined at the Southern Launch facilities in South Australia. The data collected is expected to significantly improve the thermal protection systems, sensor designs, and aerodynamic structures of future hypersonic vehicles.
Japanese Company Dymon Sends Research Vehicle to the Moon
Japan-based private space company Dymon Co. has launched the “Yaoki” spacecraft to photograph the Moon’s surface and collect data. Yaoki, launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, is a small exploration vehicle designed to be 14 centimeters in length and width, 8 centimeters in height, and weigh 498 grams. The vehicle is expected to reach the Moon’s south pole by the beginning of March and will remain in standby mode for about five days after landing to adjust to temperature conditions.
This mission illustrates the increasing role of the private sector in lunar exploration. Previously, the U.S.-based company Intuitive Machines also launched the “Odysseus” lander on February 15 with SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and successfully landed it on the Moon on February 23. As part of NASA’s Artemis program, Odysseus carried experimental payloads and became the first private U.S. spacecraft since Apollo 17 in 1972.
This Week in Our Art Corner: “Beyond the Horizon”
The documentary “Beyond the Horizon,” released in January, brings Turkey’s historic space mission to the screen. The film, which chronicles Alper Gezeravcı’s journey to the International Space Station and the experiments he conducted there, is not only a narrative of a space mission but also highlights a nation’s major step in science and technology. Directed by Burcu Camcıoğlu, the documentary was produced by a 15-member team, with international collaborations from NASA and Axiom Space.
The documentary presents important moments from Gezeravcı’s journey, from the preparations before his trip to space, his time spent in space, and the subsequent effects. It also features Tuva Cihangir Atasever’s suborbital flight, which followed Gezeravcı’s path. This 90-minute film showcases the power of scientific progress and international collaborations while revealing the greatness of Turkey’s space efforts. If you are interested in space, scientific advancements, and national success stories, don’t miss this documentary!
