[10] It was, in general, possible to capitalize on the target of opportunity, and the asteroid was tracked for several days in June 2006 in addition to the other tests.

[5] In March, New Horizons had passed the orbit of Mars, and the spacecraft was undergoing various course correction maneuvers and tests throughout this time; as mentioned LORRI was not activated for another couple months.

[5] New Horizons passed through the asteroid belt during the summer of 2006, and the test helped prepare the team and spacecraft for the future flybys of Jupiter and Pluto.

There is some increased probability of encountering dust, but otherwise it takes special planning to actually pass very close to an asteroid, as was done with Galileo.

The astronomers found that APL has a spectral type of a common, stony S-type asteroid.