Today the Asteroid Tracking Network revealed that a third moonlet had been discovered in one of its sky surveys and after several nights of study astronomers have determined its orbit well enough to declare their findings. The new moonlet, which was designated by the ATN as ICX-922(A) is the smallest object yet to be captured, massing in at a mere 101.790t, or 0.08% the mass of DGU-266(B) and 0.0007% the mass of Meeny (which is a Class-C asteroid). The circumstances under which this object were captured are only theorized, given that it did not involve the usual suspect, Mun. In the case of both Meeny and DGU-266(B) (naming suggestions are still being taken!) Mun got in the way of their trajectory through the Kerbin system and as it passed them it pulled at them with its gravity, slowing down their velocities enough to remain in orbit around Kerbin.
The leading theory among astronomers is that ICX was traveling leisurely along when Kerbin caught up from behind, causing the asteroid to fall back and around Kerbin while also being carried along, so when it left Kerbin’s SOI it also got a boost, or assist, from our planet’s velocity. But the exit from Kerbin’s SOI may have been more of a “lob” than a “throw”, and the asteroid shortly fell back towards Kerbin but this time it was moving faster and the slower movement of Kerbin dragged its velocity back down far enough that when it was lobbed back out, it didn’t quite make it all the way this time. The apokee of ICX’s highly elliptical orbit rises to 83,495km, which is just 664km short of the SOI boundary.
ICX will undergo much more study in the months to come, and astronomers see no reason why it would be going anywhere anytime soon given that it can’t interact directly with Mun. The Kerbal Astronomical Society will be in charge of selecting a name, although it may decide to go to the public once again.
