International Asteroid Day, 30 June 2026
Every year on 30 June, International Asteroid Day brings together scientists, educators, policymakers, and the public to raise awareness about asteroids and their significance to our understanding of the Universe. The day commemorates the 1908 Tunguska event, when a powerful asteroid-related explosion flattened millions of trees across Siberia, highlighting the importance of studying near-Earth objects.
From revealing clues about the origins of our Solar System to supporting planetary defence efforts, asteroid research continues to unlock new scientific discoveries and address important global challenges. Advances in observation technologies, space missions, and computational modelling are helping researchers better understand these ancient celestial bodies and their potential impact on Earth.
To celebrate International Asteroid Day, we have curated a selection of articles showcasing the latest research and discoveries in asteroid science, planetary exploration, and space technologies. We invite you to explore these contributions and join the global conversation about our place in the cosmos.
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“Cometary Dynamics—Formation and Evolution of the Oort Cloud”
by Hans Rickman
Astronomy 2026, 5(2), 8; https://doi.org/10.3390/astronomy5020008
“On the Particular Dynamics of Rubble-Pile Asteroid Rotation Following Projectile Impact on the Surface During Planetary Approach”
by Sergey Ershkov
Mathematics 2025, 13(21), 3412; https://doi.org/10.3390/math13213412
“On the Dynamics of a Synchronous Binary Asteroid System with Non-Uniform Mass Distribution”
By Leandro Forne Brejão, Antonio F. Bertachini de Almeida Prado, Diogo Merguizo Sanchez and Jean P. dos Santos Carvalho
Mathematics 2025, 13(16), 2667; https://doi.org/10.3390/math13162667
“Overview of Water-Ice in Asteroids—Targets of a Revolution by LSST and JWST”
by Ákos Kereszturi, Mohamed Ramy El-Maarry, Anny-Chantal Levasseur-Regourd, Imre Tóth, Bernadett D. Pál and Csaba Kiss
Universe 2025, 11(8), 253; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe11080253
“Technical Challenges and Ethical, Legal and Social Issues (ELSI) for Asteroid Mining and Planetary Defense”
by Evie Kendal, Tony Milligan and Martin Elvis
Aerospace 2025, 12(6), 544; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace12060544
“Equilibrium Points and Periodic Orbits in the Circular Restricted Synchronous Three-Body Problem with Radiation and Mass Dipole Effects: Application to Asteroid 2001SN263”
by Aguda Ekele Vincent, Jagadish Singh, George A. Tsirogiannis and Vassilis S. Kalantonis
Mathematics 2025, 13(7), 1150; https://doi.org/10.3390/math13071150
“Studying the Properties of Spacetime with an Improved Dynamical Model of the Inner Solar System”
by Dmitry Pavlov and Ivan Dolgakov
Universe 2024, 10(11), 413; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe10110413
“Experimental and Numerical Simulation of Ejecta Size and Velocity of Hypervelocity Impact Rubble-Pile Asteroid”
by Wenjin Liu, Qingming Zhang, Renrong Long, Jiankang Ren, Juncheng Li, Zizheng Gong, Qiang Wu and Siyuan Ren
Aerospace 2024, 11(8), 621; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace11080621
“Trajectory Design of Potentially Hazardous Asteroid Exploration with Reusable Probes from Cislunar Space”
by Chao Peng, Renyong Zhang, and Yang Gao
Aerospace 2024, 11(7), 546; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace11070546
“Chemistry in Retrieved Ryugu Asteroid Samples Revealed by Non-Invasive X-ray Microanalyses: Pink-Beam Fluorescence CT and Tender-Energy Absorption Spectroscopy”
by Paul Northrup, Ryan Tappero, Timothy D. Glotch, George J. Flynn, Mehmet Yesiltas, Yoko Kebukawa, Leonard Flores, Marina E. Gemma and Gavin Piccione
Geosciences 2024, 14(4), 111; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences14040111
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“Worlds of the Solar System: Geological Evolution and Habitability of Planets and Moons” |
“Spacecraft Orbit Transfers (2nd Edition)” |
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