Pipeline stage · Step 2
Orbit Determination
A newly-found object's observations are reported to the Minor Planet Center, which links them into a single orbit. The more observations over a longer arc, the more precisely the future path is known.
Surveys, missions & objects
Knowledge connections
- Preceded byNEO Discovery
- Associated withMinor Planet Center
- Followed byCharacterization
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.