The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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Asteroid (439437) 2013 NK4 will fly past Earth today, 15 April, at 14:49 UTC (16:49 CEST). It's between 400 and 1000 m across and will come within nine times the distance between Earth and the Moon. It also makes close approaches to Venus, but we know it will not hit either planet for at least the next 100 years.
The asteroid’s close approaches to Earth always come in pairs almost exactly one year apart. We will see it again next April, but it won't come as close as it does today. The interactions between this asteroid and our planet form a pattern that repeats every ~30 years.
Find out more about asteroids and ESA's Planetary Defence activities.