2002 AT4

(first observed only)

**** is a near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Amor group, approximately 350 m in diameter. It has an eccentric orbit that brings it sometimes close to Earth's orbit, and sometimes halfway between Mars and Jupiter. It is a dark D-type asteroid which means that it may be reddish in color.

Due to its relatively low transfer cost of ~5.5 km/s, was under consideration by the European Space Agency as a candidate target for the Don Quijote mission to study the effects of impacting a spacecraft into an asteroid; however, it is no longer under consideration.

orbits the Sun at a distance of 1.0–2.7 AU once every 2 years and 7 months (932 days; semi-major axis of 1.87 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.45 and an inclination of 1° with respect to the ecliptic.

T. M. Ribeiro et al. proposed a conceptual sample return mission named CARINA to . The goal of CARINA would be to return for the first time a sample from a D-type asteroid for an in-depth characterisation in Earth-based laboratories. Among other things, CARINA aims to: (i) explore the relationship between dark asteroids and comets; (ii) investigate the role of dark asteroids in the origin of life; (iii) improve our understanding of early Solar System evolution.