469219 Kamoʻoalewa

469219 Kamoʻoalewa (/kəˌmoʊʔoʊəˈlɛvə/), provisionally designated 2016 HO₃, is a very small elongated asteroid, fast rotator and near-Earth object of the Apollo group, approximately 40–100 meters (130–330 feet) in diameter. At present it is a quasi-satellite of Earth, and currently the second-smallest, closest, and most stable known such quasi-satellite (after 2023 FW13).

The asteroid was discovered by Pan-STARRS at Haleakala Observatory on 27 April 2016. Numerous proposed missions have since targeted the object, including a NASA solar-sail mission, a University of Colorado flyby and impact experiment, and was selected as a target for the Chinese ZhengHe project, which has developed into the Tianwen-2 mission. The chondritic simulants QLS-1, 2, and 3 have been developed by the Qian Xuesen Laboratory of Space Technology to better prepare for these missions. In an ambitious proposal, 469219 Kamo'oalewa is even considered for use as a space station for Earth-to-Mars travel.

The object's Earth-like orbit, proximity to the Earth-Moon system, higher spectral reddening to other asteroids, and similarity to space weathered lunar materials indicate that it is likely lunar ejecta. However, it might also be an S-type or L-type asteroid. Despite being most similar to weathered Apollo 14 and Luna 24 Lunar Mare soils, it is suggested to be from the lunar far-side highland crust crater, Giordano Bruno.

Orbital similarities suggest it is likely a co-orbital pair with 2000 WN10 or a broken up set including the other NEOs 2020 KZ2, 2020 PN1, and 2020 PP1.