Scientists Gearing Up for Apophis's Tense Near-Earth Encounter
In an exciting development for asteroid research, two missions have been proposed to study the asteroid Apophis during its close encounter with Earth in 2029. The European Space Agency (ESA) is set to launch the Ramses mission, while NASA is planning to repurpose its OSIRIS-REx spacecraft for the OSIRIS-APEX mission.
ESA's Ramses mission aims to rendezvous with Apophis before its 2029 Earth flyby and accompany the asteroid during the close approach. Ramses will observe how Earth's gravity warps and changes the asteroid, revealing details about its composition and structure. It will also deploy two CubeSats equipped with scientific instruments to study Apophis more closely. Ramses reuses technology from ESA's Hera mission, aiming to minimize development time and cost, with arrival scheduled around February 2029[1][2][5].
NASA's OSIRIS-APEX mission is a repurposed mission based on the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft that previously studied asteroid Bennu. OSIRIS-APEX will arrive shortly after Apophis’ close approach to Earth in 2029. It is designed to approach the asteroid's surface and fire engines to disturb loose surface material, helping scientists to study subsurface material that might otherwise be inaccessible[1].
Although there are no private space companies detailed in the search results as proposing missions to Apophis’ 2029 flyby, companies like Blue Origin and Exploration Labs (ExLabs) have previously proposed missions to rendezvous with Apophis[1][2]. Blue Origin's Blue Ring orbital platform and ExLabs' Distributed Radar Observations of Interior Distributions (DROID) mission concept are examples of such proposals.
Apophis, approximately 1,100 feet wide (335 meters), will pass just about 32,000 km from Earth, less than one-tenth the distance to the Moon, allowing unprecedented close-up study of a large asteroid and its response to Earth's tidal forces[2][4]. Scientists are particularly interested in exploring Apophis to determine whether Earth's gravitational field will have an impact on its orientation, composition, and spin[2].
Initially designated as a hazardous asteroid that could potentially impact Earth, later observations have reassured scientists that Apophis has no chance of crashing into Earth for at least another century[1].
Meanwhile, the Janus mission, originally planned to launch in August 2022, was delayed due to a software glitch affecting its ride-along missions. The twin probes from the Janus mission have been taken off the launch manifest and are currently stored at Lockheed Martin[1].
This close encounter with Apophis in 2029 offers a unique opportunity for scientific exploration and understanding of asteroids. Other missions for studying Apophis may be announced in the coming months and years given the scientific importance and rarity of such a close encounter.
[1] Space.com (2021). NASA's OSIRIS-REx Spacecraft to Study Asteroid Apophis in 2029. Retrieved from https://www.space.com/nasa-osiris-rex-spacecraft-to-study-asteroid-apophis-in-2029.html
[2] Space.com (2021). Apophis Asteroid to Pass Near Earth in 2029: What We Know About the Potentially Hazardous Space Rock. Retrieved from https://www.space.com/apophis-asteroid-to-pass-near-earth-in-2029.html
[3] ESA (2021). ESA's Ramses Mission to Asteroid Apophis. Retrieved from https://www.esa.int/Apophis
[4] NASA (2021). OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sampling Mission. Retrieved from https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/osiris-rex/main/index.html
[5] ESA (2021). Hera Mission. Retrieved from https://www.esa.int/Spacecraft/Hera
- Gizmodo reported on the proposed missions by both ESA and NASA to study asteroid Apophis in 2029, with ESA's Ramses mission aiming to observe the asteroid's behavior under Earth's gravity.
- The future of technology and science is exciting with proposed missions like NASA's OSIRIS-APEX, which will repurpose the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft to study Apophis’ subsurface material.
- Space-and-astronomy enthusiasts are looking forward to the close encounter of Apophis with Earth in 2029, as it presents an opportunity for unparalleled scientific exploration and understanding of asteroids.
- Although no private space companies have been announced with missions to Apophis’ 2029 flyby, companies like Blue Origin and Exploration Labs (ExLabs) have previously proposed concepts for rendezvousing with Apophis.
