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4660 Nereus




Nereus is potentially a very important Asteroid . It is an Apollo and Mars-crosser Asteroid , with an Orbit that frequently comes very close to Earth , and because of this it is exceptionally accessible to spacecraft. Indeed, because of its small size, its Delta-V for rendezvous is smaller than the Moon 's.

Nereus makes seven approaches to Earth of less than 5 Gm from 1900-2100. The next close approach is in Decembar 2021, to 3.9 Gm.

Nereus was scheduled for visitation by both the private Near Earth Asteroid Prospector probe, and the Japanese Hayabusa probe. However, the former project is defunct, and Hayabusa 's delay in launching caused it to be redirected to 25143 Itokawa . Nonetheless, Nereus may well become a target of future space exploration.

Nereus has been imaged by Radar , which reveals a slightly elongated shape.