JPL
Careers
Education
Science & Technology
JPL Logo
JPL Logo
Image

Solid as a Rock? Porosity of Asteroids

June 19, 2014
Observations from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, taken in infrared light, have helped to reveal that a small asteroid called 2011 MD is made-up of two-thirds empty space.

Asteroids can differ in the degree of porosity, or the amount of empty space that makes up their structures. At one end of the spectrum is a single solid rock and, at the other end, is a pile of rubble held together by gravity. Observations from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, taken in infrared light, have helped to reveal that a small asteroid called 2011 MD is made-up of two-thirds empty space, which means it has essentially the same density as water.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., manages the Spitzer Space Telescope mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Science operations are conducted at the Spitzer Science Center at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Spacecraft operations are based at Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Littleton, Colorado. Data are archived at the Infrared Science Archive housed at the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center at Caltech. Caltech manages JPL for NASA.

For more information about Spitzer, visit http://spitzer.caltech.edu and http://www.nasa.gov/spitzer.

Download JPG
Download TIFF
Mission
Target
  • Asteroids and Comets
Credit
NASA/JPL-Caltech

Keep Exploring

Planetesimal Collison Around Star HD 166191 (Illustration)

Exoplanet XO-3b Illustration

Godzilla Nebula Imaged by Spitzer

Four Famous Nebulae

Hidden Supernova Spotted by Spitzer

Spitzer Image of Star Factory W51

Animation of Black Hole Disk Flare in OJ 287

Spitzer California Nebula Mosaic

Spitzer Brown Dwarf Wind (Artist's Concept)

Spitzer Project Manager Declares End of Mission

Related Topic

News .

NASA to Provide Update on InSight Mars Lander

News .

Science at Sunrise: Solving the Mystery of Frost Hiding on Mars

News .

NASA’s Mars Helicopter Scouts Ridgeline for Perseverance Science Team

News .

NASA’s Mars Helicopter Spots Gear That Helped Perseverance Rover Land

News .

Greenland Ice, Jupiter Moon Share Similar Feature

News .

NASA Extends Exploration for 8 Planetary Science Missions

News .

NASA’s Perseverance Rover Captures Video of Solar Eclipse on Mars

News .

NASA’s Perseverance Rover Arrives at Delta for New Science Campaign

News .

NASA Shows Off Psyche Spacecraft to Media

News .

NASA’s Curiosity Mars Rover Reroutes Away From ‘Gator-Back’ Rocks

About JPL
Who We Are
Executive Council
Directors
Careers
Internships
The JPL Story
JPL Achievements
Documentary Series
Annual Reports
Missions
Current
Past
Future
All
News
All
Earth
Solar System
Stars and Galaxies
Subscribe to JPL News
Galleries
Images
Videos
Audio
Podcasts
Apps
Visions of the Future
Slice of History
Robotics at JPL
Events
Lecture Series
Team Competitions
Speakers Bureau
Calendar
Visit
Public Tours
Virtual Tour
Topics
JPL Life
Solar System
Mars
Earth
Climate Change
Exoplanets
Stars and Galaxies
Robotics
More
Asteroid Watch
NASA's Eyes Visualizations
Universe - Internal Newsletter
Social Media
Get the Latest from JPL
Follow Us

JPL is a federally funded research and development center managed for NASA by Caltech.

More from JPL
Careers Education Science & Technology Acquisitions JPL Store
Careers
Education
Science & Technology
Acquisitions
JPL Store
Related NASA Sites
Basics of Spaceflight
Climate Kids
Earth / Global Climate Change
Exoplanet Exploration
Mars Exploration
Solar System Exploration
Space Place
NASA's Eyes Visualization Project
Voyager Interstellar Mission
NASA
Caltech
Privacy
Image Policy
FAQ
Feedback
Site Managers: Veronica McGregor, Randal Jackson
Site Editors: Tony Greicius, Naomi Hartono