I-US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) ifunda ukuba kunokwenzeka ukuphumeza uthumo lwase-Athena lokuhlola i-asteroid enkulu ebizwa ngokuba yiPallas.
Into egama layo yafunyanwa ngo-1802 nguHeinrich Wilhelm Olbers. Umzimba, ongowebhanti elikhulu le-asteroid, unobungakanani obumalunga ne-512 km ububanzi (plus/minus 6 km). Ngaloo ndlela, le asteroid kuphela kancinane ngaphantsi Vesta (525,4 km).
Isigqibo sokuphehlelela iPallas, ngokwemithombo ye-intanethi, siya kwenziwa phakathi ku-Epreli. Sithetha malunga nokudala izixhobo zophando ezihlangeneyo, ezinokuthelekiswa nobukhulu befriji.
Ukuba i-mission yamkelwe, i-probe inokuqaliswa ngo-Agasti ka-2022. Isikhululo siya kuba nakho ukufikelela kwi-asteroid malunga nonyaka emva kokusungulwa.
Izixhobo ebhodini i-Athena iya kwenza ukuba kube lula ukucacisa imilinganiselo yePallas, kunye nokuqhuba ifoto ecacileyo yobuso bento yendawo. Iindleko zokudala uphando ziqikelelwa kwi-50 yezigidi zeedola zaseMelika.
umthombo: 3dnews.ru