asteroid
Belt between planets
An asteroid is a rocky object orbiting the sun, smaller than a planet but larger than a meteoroid.
Most asteroids occupy the belt between Mars and Jupiter.
The term sometimes applies loosely to any small celestial body: The spacecraft was destroyed by an asteroid.
In figurative use, something can hit like an asteroid—sudden, devastating, world-changing.
Impact or volcanic basin
- collisionForceful contact between objects
- ejectaMaterial forcibly discharged
- shockwavePropagating pressure disturbance
- fireballLuminous meteor or explosion
airburst · breccia · impactor · rim · tektite · megatsunami · devastation
Containing or composed of carbon
- metallicResembling ore-based elements
- chondriteMeteorite containing round grains
- iron-nickelTwo-metal metallic alloy
- regolithFragmented covering over bedrock
spectroscopy · volatiles · olivine · pyroxene · organics · porosity · monolith
Goddess of crops and growth
- VestaGoddess of hearth
- PallasEpithet for Athena
- TrojansCitizens of Ilium
- KuiperOuter solar system region
planetesimals · protoplanet · Kirkwood · gaps · interplanetary · ecliptic · albedo · Apollo
Path of moving object
- ellipseConic section curve
- perihelionOrbital point nearest sun
- aphelionFarthest point from sun
- eccentricityUnconventional behavior or nature
inclination · period · revolution · Kepler · gravitational · perturbation · resonance · ephemeris
Vehicle for outer space
- NASAFederal space exploration bureau
- ESAContinental space organization
- HayabusaAsteroid-sampling space probe
- DawnProper name suggesting beginning
Rosetta · rendezvous · flyby · delta-v · deep-space · trajectory
Indication of potential harm
- deflectionChange in trajectory
- early-warningAdvance notification of danger
- monitoringOngoing observation of something
- evacuationRemoval from danger
Extinct prehistoric reptiles
Kinetic impactor spacecraft mission
- HeraOlympian marriage deity
- mitigationReduction of severity
- fragmentationBreaking into smaller pieces
- reconnaissanceInformation-gathering before action
Descend under gravity
- findLocate through effort
- NWAPioneering gangsta rap group
- AntarcticaSouthernmost continental landmass
- provenanceRecord of ownership
Available assets or supplies
- extractionAct of removing
- platinumDense precious silvery metal
- waterClear essential liquid
- propellantSubstance creating thrust
prospecting · commercial · wealth · trillion · ore · processing · microgravity · robotics
crater
Impact or volcanic basin
- collisionForceful contact between objects
- ejectaMaterial forcibly discharged
- shockwavePropagating pressure disturbance
fireball · airburst · breccia · impactor · rim · tektite · megatsunami · devastation
carbonaceous
Containing or composed of carbon
- metallicResembling ore-based elements
- chondriteMeteorite containing round grains
- iron-nickelTwo-metal metallic alloy
regolith · spectroscopy · volatiles · olivine · pyroxene · organics · porosity · monolith
Ceres
Goddess of crops and growth
Kuiper · planetesimals · protoplanet · Kirkwood · gaps · interplanetary · ecliptic · albedo · Apollo · Eros
trajectory
Path of moving object
- ellipseConic section curve
- perihelionOrbital point nearest sun
- aphelionFarthest point from sun
eccentricity · inclination · period · revolution · Kepler · gravitational · perturbation · resonance · ephemeris · conjunction
spacecraft
Vehicle for outer space
- NASAFederal space exploration bureau
- ESAContinental space organization
- HayabusaAsteroid-sampling space probe
Dawn · Rosetta · rendezvous · flyby · delta-v · deep-space · trajectory
threat
Indication of potential harm
- deflectionChange in trajectory
- early-warningAdvance notification of danger
- monitoringOngoing observation of something
dinosaurs
Extinct prehistoric reptiles
DART
Kinetic impactor spacecraft mission
- HeraOlympian marriage deity
- mitigationReduction of severity
- fragmentationBreaking into smaller pieces
fall
Descend under gravity
- findLocate through effort
- NWAPioneering gangsta rap group
- AntarcticaSouthernmost continental landmass
resources
Available assets or supplies
- extractionAct of removing
- platinumDense precious silvery metal
- waterClear essential liquid
propellant · prospecting · commercial · wealth · trillion · ore · processing · microgravity · robotics
- outer spacesun, moon, planet, solar system, comet
- solar systemsun, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn
- space objectsgalaxy, nebula, planet, quasar, comet
- space stuffUFO, alien, meteor, comet, black hole
- space termsmoon, planet, rocket, satellite, orbit
- Disaster Films2012, Armageddon, Deep Impact, The Day After Tomorrow, The Towering Inferno
- asteroid beltPlanetary rubble orbit zone
- asteroid impactSpace rock collision event
- asteroid miningHarvesting materials from celestial bodies
- mining asteroidsExtracting resources from celestial bodies