Measuring a quarter-mile in length, Apophis is expected to come within 20,000 miles of Earth’s surface on April 13, 2029—closer than many telecommunications satellites. However, after extensive monitoring and precise orbital analysis in 2021, scientists ruled out any risk of impact for at least a century.
Similarly, NASA and the ESA are intensifying their observations of YR4. Experts anticipate that as additional data is gathered, the asteroid’s risk level may decrease.
Planetary Defense Missions
With advancing technology, space agencies are better equipped than ever to detect and respond to potential asteroid threats. NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, which recently returned a sample from asteroid Bennu, has been repurposed as OSIRIS-APophis EXplorer (OSIRIS-APEX).
This spacecraft is set to rendezvous with Apophis in 2029, spending 18 months mapping its surface and analyzing its chemical composition.
The ESA also has a dedicated mission in development. Ramses, an uncrewed spacecraft, is scheduled to launch ahead of time to meet Apophis before its close encounter with Earth.
Tracking Space Danger
The mission aims to gather critical data and refine future asteroid deflection strategies.
