Overview: NASA-JPL Tracking Multiple Near-Earth Objects
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) monitors thousands of near-Earth objects (NEOs) to assess any potential impact risk. In today’s briefing, JPL reported several small asteroids passing near Earth, described as aeroplane-sized or smaller. Although these objects approach within astronomical distances, they pose no danger to the planet based on current trajectory data and size assessments.
The four modestly sized asteroids approaching Earth
According to JPL’s database, three asteroid bodies are on a near-Earth approach track, with one larger among them. The objects and their estimated sizes are:
- 2025-TN2 — the largest of the trio, with an estimated diameter larger than the other nearby rocks.
- 2025 SJ29 — roughly the size of a small house, around 55 feet across.
- 2025 TF1 — about the size of a standard house, near 65 feet in diameter.
- 2020 QU5 — the smallest in the group among those highlighted, approximately 81 feet across.
NASA and ESA scientists emphasize that even though these objects are sizable on a human scale, they do not pose a collision threat to Earth in the foreseeable future. The classification hinges on their trajectories, speeds, and minimal close approaches to our planet.
Why size matters for risk assessment
Impact risk from NEOs depends on several factors, including size, velocity, composition, and the closeness of the approach. In this case, all four objects are well below the threshold for a potential impact scenario. The commonly used criterion for “potentially hazardous” status is an object at least 460 feet wide that comes within about 7.48 million kilometers of Earth. By that standard, the current four objects are not considered hazardous.
A brief look at a different recent close approach
Separately, astronomers observed a much smaller asteroid that passed by Earth last week, arguably closer than many satellites. Designated 2025 TF, this object was detected after its flyby, highlighting the ongoing challenge of spotting NEOs with very small sizes and fast trajectories. ESA reported that the rock skimmed about 428 kilometers above Antarctica, a hair’s breadth in space terms, and would have likely disintegrated in the atmosphere had it entered. No satellites were in its path, and no immediate risk was identified.
What this means for ongoing monitoring
NASA and ESA continue to monitor thousands of near-Earth objects as part of a broader planetary defense effort. While most small NEOs pass unnoticed by the public until after detection, the agencies emphasize that the current near-term risk remains low. Asteroid detection is a forward-looking activity, intended to provide early warning should the trajectory of any object change in ways that could increase risk.
How you can stay informed
Updates on near-Earth objects are routinely published by NASA’s JPL and ESA’s Space Situational Awareness program. For non-experts, these sources offer accessible explanations of what the objects are, how they are tracked, and why most are harmless even when they pass relatively close to Earth. The bottom line: today’s aeroplane-sized asteroids are being watched, and there is no current threat to Earth.
Bottom line
The ongoing work of JPL and ESA ensures that even small, fast-moving near-Earth objects are cataloged and analyzed. While some rocks may pass close to Earth, their size and trajectory typically keep them from posing a danger, underscoring the effectiveness of contemporary planetary defense monitoring.
