The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced its plans to send a spacecraft, the Ramses mission, to make one of Earth’s closest encounters with the potentially hazardous asteroid Apophis. In April 2029, Apophis will fly by our planet at just 32,000 kilometres away, closer than many satellites in orbit.
Apophis was once considered a threat to Earth due to its potential for impacting our planet. However, scientists have determined that there is no risk of collision for at least 100 years. Instead, the ESA sees this opportunity as a chance to study the asteroid’s shape, surface structure, and other properties during its close approach.
The mission will conduct a thorough survey of Apophis before and after its flyby, including measuring changes in its orbit and rotation caused by Earth’s gravity. This data will help scientists understand how asteroids respond to external forces, crucial information for deflecting hazardous asteroids in the future.
To maximize the mission’s scientific return, the ESA is deploying a CubeSat – a small nanosatellite – to study Apophis’ shape, geological properties, and potentially even land on its surface. Landing on an asteroid is challenging due to its irregular shape and weak gravity, but this opportunity is scientifically valuable and exciting.
The project has received €1.5 million in funding from the ESA and marks a milestone for Spanish company Emxys, which will lead the development of the CubeSat. The mission aims to contribute to Europe’s planetary defense efforts and represents the highest level of scientific and technological challenge.
Source: https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news/esa-issues-update-race-asteroid-31686094