Small-Body Targets of Spacecraft Missions
Over the years, NASA and other space agencies have targeted asteroids and comets in their spacecraft missions. Some missions were designed specifically to learn more about physical characteristics of asteroids and comets while others were able to view asteroids on their way to other planetary destinations (such as JPL’s Galileo mission).
The following table shows small-bodies that have been, or will be, the target of selected spacecraft missions. Each row represents a target and its corresponding mission. Upcoming missions are shown with a palegreen background, current missions are shown with a lightyellow background, and past missions are shown with a lightgray background.
The table is sorted, by default, in reverse chronological order by launch date. Small-bodies that are targets of more than one mission have separate rows for each mission. Each small-body is hyperlinked to its SBDB Lookup page and mission names are hyperlinked to their mission web-page (where available).
id | Target Body |
Mission Type |
Mission Arrival |
Mission Arrival (unix) |
Mission Name |
Mission Launch |
Mission Launch (unix) |
Mission Status |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
a0065803 | 65803 Didymos (1996 GT) | impact | 2022-Sep-26 | 1664175600 | DART | 2021-Nov-24 | 1637740800 | complete |
a0152830 | 152830 Dinkinesh (1999 VD57) | fly-by | 2023-Nov-01 | 1698822000 | Lucy | 2021-Oct-16 | 1634367600 | active |
a0052246 | 52246 Donaldjohanson (1981 EQ5) | fly-by | 2025-Apr-20 | 1745132400 | Lucy | 2021-Oct-16 | 1634367600 | active |
a0021900 | 21900 Orus (1999 VQ10) | fly-by | 2028-Nov-11 | 1857542400 | Lucy | 2021-Oct-16 | 1634367600 | active |
a0015094 | 15094 Polymele (1999 WB2) | fly-by | 2027-Sep-15 | 1820991600 | Lucy | 2021-Oct-16 | 1634367600 | active |
a0011351 | 11351 Leucus (1997 TS25) | fly-by | 2028-Apr-18 | 1839654000 | Lucy | 2021-Oct-16 | 1634367600 | active |
a0003548 | 3548 Eurybates (1973 SO) | fly-by | 2027-Aug-12 | 1818054000 | Lucy | 2021-Oct-16 | 1634367600 | active |
a0000617 | 617 Patroclus (A906 UL) | fly-by | 2033-Mar-02 | 1993363200 | Lucy | 2021-Oct-16 | 1634367600 | active |
a0486958 | 486958 Arrokoth (2014 MU69) | fly-by | 2019-Jan-01 | 1546329600 | New Horizons | 2006-Jan-19 | 1137657600 | complete |
a0004179 | 4179 Toutatis (1989 AC) | fly-by | 2012-Dec-13 | 1355385600 | Chang'e 2 | 2010-Oct-01 | 1285916400 | complete |
a0099942 | 99942 Apophis (2004 MN4) | orbiter | 2029-Apr-13 | 1870758000 | OSIRIS-APEX | 2016-Sep-08 | 1473318000 | active |
a0101955 | 101955 Bennu (1999 RQ36) | sample-return | 2018-Dec-31 | 1546243200 | OSIRIS-REx | 2016-Sep-08 | 1473318000 | active |
bJ98K26Y | (1998 KY26) | fly-by | 2031-Jul | 1940655600 | Hayabusa2 Extended Mission | 2014-Dec-03 | 1417593600 | active |
a0098943 | 98943 (2001 CC21) | fly-by | 2026-Jul-04 | 1783148400 | Hayabusa2 Extended Mission | 2014-Dec-03 | 1417593600 | active |
a0162173 | 162173 Ryugu (1999 JU3) | sample-return | 2018-Jun-27 | 1530082800 | Hayabusa2 | 2014-Dec-03 | 1417593600 | complete |
a0000001 | 1 Ceres | orbiter | 2015-Mar-06 | 1425628800 | Dawn | 2007-Sep-27 | 1190876400 | complete |
a0000004 | 4 Vesta | orbiter | 2011-Jul-16 | 1310799600 | Dawn | 2007-Sep-27 | 1190876400 | complete |
c00067_0 | 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko | orbiter/landing | 2014-Aug-06 | 1407308400 | Rosetta | 2004-Mar-02 | 1078214400 | complete |
a0000021 | 21 Lutetia | fly-by | 2010-Jul-10 | 1278745200 | Rosetta | 2004-Mar-02 | 1078214400 | complete |
a0002867 | 2867 Steins (1969 VC) | fly-by | 2008-Sep-05 | 1220598000 | Rosetta | 2004-Mar-02 | 1078214400 | complete |
a0025143 | 25143 Itokawa (1998 SF36) | sample-return | 2005-Sep-12 | 1126508400 | Hayabusa (MUSES-C) | 2003-May-09 | 1052463600 | complete |
c00103_0 | 103P/Hartley 2 | fly-by | 2010-Nov-04 | 1288854000 | EPOXI | 2005-Jan-12 | 1105516800 | complete |
c00009_0 | 9P/Tempel 1 | fly-by | 2011-Feb-15 | 1297756800 | Stardust-NExT | 1999-Feb-06 | 918288000 | complete |
c00009_0 | 9P/Tempel 1 | impact/fly-by | 2005-Jul-04 | 1120460400 | Deep Impact | 2005-Jan-12 | 1105516800 | complete |
c00081_0 | 81P/Wild 2 | sample-return | 2004-Jan-02 | 1073030400 | Stardust | 1999-Feb-06 | 918288000 | complete |
a0005535 | 5535 Annefrank (1942 EM) | fly-by | 2002-Nov-02 | 1036224000 | Stardust | 1999-Feb-06 | 918288000 | complete |
c00019_0 | 19P/Borrelly | fly-by | 2001-Sep-22 | 1001142000 | Deep Space 1 | 1998-Oct-24 | 909212400 | complete |
a0009969 | 9969 Braille (1992 KD) | fly-by | 1999-Jul-29 | 933231600 | Deep Space 1 | 1998-Oct-24 | 909212400 | complete |
a0000443 | 433 Eros (A898 PA) | orbiter/landing | 2000-Feb-14 | 950515200 | NEAR | 1996-Feb-17 | 824544000 | complete |
a0000253 | 253 Mathilde | fly-by | 1997-Jun-27 | 867394800 | NEAR | 1996-Feb-17 | 824544000 | complete |
a0000243 | 243 Ida | fly-by | 1993-Aug-28 | 746521200 | Galileo | 1989-Oct-18 | 624697200 | complete |
a0000951 | 951 Gaspra (A916 OJ) | fly-by | 1991-Oct-29 | 688723200 | Galileo | 1989-Oct-18 | 624697200 | complete |
c00026_0 | 26P/Grigg-Skjellerup | fly-by | 1992-Jul-10 | 710751600 | Giotto | 1985-Jul-02 | 489135600 | complete |
c00001_0 | 1P/Halley | fly-by | 1986-Mar-14 | 511171200 | Giotto | 1985-Jul-02 | 489135600 | complete |
c00001_0 | 1P/Halley | fly-by | 1986-Mar-11 | 510912000 | Sakigake | 1985-Jan-07 | 473932800 | complete |
c00001_0 | 1P/Halley | fly-by | 1986-Mar-09 | 510739200 | Vega 2 | 1984-Dec-21 | 472464000 | complete |
c00001_0 | 1P/Halley | fly-by | 1986-Mar-08 | 510652800 | Suisei | 1985-Aug-18 | 493196400 | complete |
c00001_0 | 1P/Halley | fly-by | 1986-Mar-06 | 510480000 | Vega 1 | 1984-Dec-15 | 471945600 | complete |
c00021_0 | 21P/Giacobini-Zinner | fly-by | 1985-Sep-11 | 495270000 | ISEE 3/ICE | 1978-Aug-12 | 271753200 | complete |