I-US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) ihlola ukuthi kungenzeka yini ukusebenzisa umsebenzi we-Athena wokuhlola isibhakabhaka esikhulu esibizwa ngokuthi i-Pallas.
Into ebizwa ngokuthi itholwe emuva ngo-1802 nguHeinrich Wilhelm Olbers. Umzimba, oyingxenye yebhande elikhulu le-asteroid, unosayizi ongaba ngu-512 km ububanzi (plus/minus 6 km). Ngakho-ke, le asteroid ingaphansi kancane kuneVesta (525,4 km).
Isinqumo sokwethula uphenyo kuPallas, ngokusho kwemithombo ye-inthanethi, sizokwenziwa maphakathi no-Ephreli. Sikhuluma ngokwakha izinsiza zocwaningo ezihlangene, eziqhathaniseka ngosayizi nesiqandisi.
Uma umsebenzi uvunyiwe, uphenyo lungase luqale ngo-Agasti 2022. Isiteshi sizokwazi ukufinyelela i-asteroid cishe unyaka ngemva kokwethulwa.
Imishini esebhodini i-Athena izokwenza kube lula ukucacisa ubukhulu bePallas, kanye nokwenza izithombe ezinemininingwane yobuso bale nto yesikhala. Izindleko zokudala uphenyo zilinganiselwa ezigidini ezingama-50 zamadola aseMelika.
Source: 3dnews.ru