The object's orbit is well known, since it was recovered in 2002 by the Hawaiian Observatory, and it was most recently observed, from 10 till 15 December 2020, by the Cerro Paranal. La Palma Observatory, and Mauna Kea observatories.[8]
As a result, it is one of the most easily accessible objects in the Solar System,[9] and its orbit frequently brings it on a path very similar to the optimum Earth–Mars transfer orbit.[1] This, coupled with its high water content, makes it an attractive target for further study and a potential source of water for future missions to Mars.[10]
1998 KY26 is characterized as a potentially metallic X-type asteroid.[4] Optical and radar observations indicate that it is a water-rich object.[10]
From light curvephotometry in 1998, the object is measured to have a rotation period of only 10.7 minutes, which was considered to be one of the shortest sidereal days of any known Solar System object at the time; most asteroids with established rotational rates have periods measured in hours.[5] As a result, it cannot possibly be a rubble pile, as many asteroids are thought to be, and must instead be a monolithic object.[6][5][7] It was the first such object to be discovered, but since 1998, several other small asteroids have been found to also have short rotation periods, some even faster than 1998 KY26.
In September 2020, a mission extension for JAXA's Hayabusa2 asteroid sample return probe was selected to do additional flybys of two near-Earth asteroids: 98943 Torifune in July 2026 and a rendezvous with 1998 KY26 in July 2031. The rendezvous with 1998 KY26 will be the first visit of a rapidly rotating micro-asteroid.[11] This will also make 1998 KY26 the smallest object to ever be studied by a spacecraft.[12]
^ abHicks, M. D.; Weissman, P. R.; Rabinowitz, D. L.; Chamberlin, A. B.; Buratti, B. J.; Lee, C. O. (September 1998). "Close Encounters: Observations of the Earth-crossing Asteroids 1998 KY26 and 1998 ML14". American Astronomical Society. 30: 1029. Bibcode:1998DPS....30.1006H.
