(333605) Martella Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 5 December 2005 by Mt. Lemmon Survey at Mount Lemmon.
Sam A. Martella (b. 1983) is an American Logistics Management Analyst who was the Field Recovery Lead for the OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission. He is OSIRIS-REx's main point of contact for deep space exploration operations, and logistics, ensuring mission success and compliance to federal regulations regarding transportation and property.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 6, #8, 12), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Martella is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Martella is 2.79 au from the Sun and 1.84 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 333605 |
| Provisional designation | 2007 HX81 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 17.15 |
| Orbital period | 4.36 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.67 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.54 – 2.79 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0468 |
| Inclination | 8.45° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.54 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Sam
All asteroids named after someone called Sam