Asteroid Apophis to be in close proximity to Earth; Spacecraft to potentially make rendezvous
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Hit the fast-forward button on asteroid exploration with the European Space Agency's upcoming mission, Ramses! This bad boy is set to tango with a potentially dangerous asteroid named Apophis in 2029, as it swings oh-so-close to our humble abode.
Ramses isn't your average spaceship; it's a stargazer with a mission. It'll be rendezvousing with the asteroid before it passes Earth and cruising alongside it during its flyby on April 13, 2029. Ramses is eager to examine how Earth's gravity shifts Apophis, scrutinizing its shape, surface, orbit, rotation, and orientation both before and after the encounter. This cosmic dance will help scientists better comprehend the enigmatic solar system space rocks, and prepare us for future asteroid collisions.
ESA recently spilled the beans on their plan to launch Ramses in April 2028. They've got the green light to kick off the preliminary legwork for this mission, but the ultimate decision on whether to fully commit to Ramses will be made at ESA's Ministerial Council meeting in November 2025.
Ramses will be carrying two adorable cubesats as stowaways. Once it reaches the asteroid, these buddies will detach and embark on a thrilling adventure, using a suite of science instruments to conduct a thorough examination of Apophis' physical properties before and after the flyby. The mission aims to gather insights on how these space rocks react to external forces, shedding light on asteroid composition, internal structure, cohesion, mass, density, and porosity.
Patrick Michel, French National Centre for Scientific Research's research director, couldn't sound more excited: "We've got a front-row seat to watch as nature performs an experiment on Apophis, subjecting it to strong tidal forces that could trigger landslides and reveal material hidden beneath the surface."
Understanding asteroids could provide valuable clues about the formation of planets in our solar system, as well as Earth's evolution over time. In addition, it's a step in the right direction for preparing us for incoming threats, by illustrating the first stage in redirecting an asteroid.
Richard Moissl, head of ESA's Planetary Defense Office, puts it this way: "Ramses will teach us that humans can deploy a reconnaissance mission to rendezvous with an incoming asteroid in just a few years. This is crucial information for assessing asteroid orbits and structures."
Apophis is named after an age-old foe of the Ancient Egyptian sun god Ra, a wicked serpent that tries to devour the sun each night. Talk aboutDrama Queen Much? It's fitting that the ESA's mission shares a name with one of Ancient Egypt's greatest Pharaohs.
First discovered in 2004, Apophis was marked as a hazardous asteroid that could potentially collide with Earth. But fear not, recent observations assure us that Apophis won't be causing any trouble for at least another century. In 2029, it'll be grazing our planet at a distance of 20,000 miles (32,000 kilometers).
NASA's OSIRIS-APEX spacecraft, formerly known as OSIRIS-REx, is also joining the party. It's already en route to study Apophis and observe any changes resulting from its close encounter with Earth. By 2027, it'll be hanging out with our celestial pal. NASA recently convened a workshop to brainstorm ideas from the private sector on innovative ways to conduct missions during Apophis' anticipated flyby in 2029. Several companies, like Blue Origin and Exploration Labs, have proposed missions to link up with Apophis before its flyby.
So keep your eyes on the skies, folks! Catch the drama of Ramses and Apophis' cosmic rendezvous, and stay up-to-date on all things space by following us on X and visiting Gizmodo's dedicated Spaceflight page!
- The European Space Agency's upcoming mission, Ramses, aims to better understand the future of asteroid collisions by examining asteroid Apophis in 2029.
- Ramses, launching in April 2028, will not only study Apophis' physical properties but also conduct research on how asteroids react to external forces, using technology to gather insights on asteroid composition and internal structure.
- In 2029, technology will play a significant role in science as both Ramses and NASA's OSIRIS-APEX spacecraft will be observing Apophis' flyby, paving the way for future asteroid missions like the ones proposed by startups such as Blue Origin and Exploration Labs.
- Looking ahead, the findings from missions like Ramses and OSIRIS-APEX will contribute to our understanding of the solar system, planetary formation, and potentially how to prepare for and deflect hazardous asteroids in the future.
