Asteroid Apophis will visit Earth in 2029. Why do scientists want NASA to send a probe there first?

By Andrew Jones published 1 day ago

NASA's Small Bodies Assessment Group wants the agency to send spacecraft to visit the asteroid Apophis before it makes a close approach to Earth in 2029.



A rendering of asteroid Apophis' 2029 close approach with Earth. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

NASA's Small Bodies Assessment Group wants the agency to send spacecraft to visit the asteroid Apophis before it makes a close approach to Earth in 2029.

Apophis, also known as asteroid 99942, was once thought to be on a potential collision course with Earth. The near-Earth object is estimated to be about 1,100 feet (340 meters) and could cause serious damage were it to impact our planet. Now however this ancient piece of the early solar system is of great scientific interest.

OSIRIS-REx, which collected material from asteroid Bennu in 2020 and is set to deliver the samples to Earth on Sept. 24, is due to embark on an extended mission to Apophis, becoming OSIRIS-APEX (OSIRIS-Apophis Explorer). It will however slip into orbit around the asteroid after the close approach, and the Small Bodies Assessment Group (SBAG) wants to get an up close look beforehand too.

SBAG "encourages NASA to pursue a mission opportunity, achievable within available resources, to explore Apophis prior to its close Earth approach, whether initiating its own effort or via collaboration with foreign and domestic partners," according to findings from its July 2023 meeting recently published online and noted in a Sept. 1 report by Space Policy Online.

More:
https://www.space.com/nasa-asteroid-apophis-approach-earth?utm_source=notification