In 2029, a notable celestial event will occur as the asteroid Apophis makes a close pass by Earth. This event will be observed by a fleet of spacecraft, including two landers from a private American company.
Apophis, an asteroid measuring approximately 400 meters in diameter, was first identified in 2004. Initial projections indicated a significant, albeit low, probability of impact with Earth in April 2029, raising concerns about potential urban-scale destruction. Subsequent, more precise calculations have since ruled out any impact risk for at least the next century.
Nevertheless, on April 13, 2029, Apophis is set to traverse an exceptionally close trajectory to our planet, coming within 32,000 kilometers. This proximity places it nearer than geostationary satellites and close enough for the asteroid to be visible to the naked eye – a rare occurrence for an object of its size, happening perhaps once in millennia. In anticipation of this rare event, multiple spacecraft from the United States, Europe, Japan, and China are being prepared to conduct studies of Apophis both before, during, and after its Earth flyby.
ExLabs Spearheads Private Lunar Exploration for Apophis Encounter
Among the planned missions, the U.S. company ExLabs has announced that its primary spacecraft, named ApophisExL, has successfully completed a critical review phase. The launch of ApophisExL is slated for 2028. This vessel is designed to carry a considerable payload, potentially up to ten smaller spacecraft and various scientific instruments contributed by different clients. Notably, among these payloads are two landers: one whose origin remains undisclosed, and another developed by Japan’s Chiba Institute of Technology.
“The primary objective is to acquire imagery directly from the asteroid’s surface,” explained Miguel Pascual, Chief Science Officer and co-founder of ExLabs. “There is considerable potential for groundbreaking scientific discoveries.”
To date, no private enterprise has successfully landed a craft on an asteroid. However, a U.S. firm focused on asteroid resource utilization, Astroforge, intends to launch a mission this year with the specific aim of achieving an asteroid landing.
Detailed Landing Procedures and Safety Measures
The lander from the Chiba Institute of Technology, approximately the size of a shoebox, will be deployed by ExLabs from an altitude of 400 meters above Apophis. Its descent will be a slow, controlled process, moving at roughly 10 centimeters per second. After an hour, it is expected to make a gentle touchdown on the asteroid’s surface, capturing images throughout its journey.
This landing operation is scheduled to take place no sooner than a week following Apophis’s closest approach to Earth. This temporal separation is a critical safety measure designed to eliminate any possibility of inadvertently altering the asteroid’s orbital path. Pascual emphasized that any collision occurring in the period leading up to the flyby would have its effects amplified by Earth’s gravitational influence.
International Collaboration and Scientific Objectives
The Ramses mission, a collaborative effort between European and Japanese entities, is also set to include a lander. Officially named Rapid Apophis Mission for Space Safety, Ramses aims to conduct further investigations of the asteroid. According to Patrick Michel, the mission’s project scientist at Côte d’Azur University, this lander is expected to touch down a few days prior to the main flyby. Equipped with a seismometer, it will monitor for any surface disturbances, such as landslides, that might be triggered by Earth’s gravitational pull. It may also be capable of recording the landing events of the ExLabs landers.
“Any prospect of interacting with and measuring the consistency of the surface, whether soft or rigid, is highly valuable,” Michel commented.
Michel also stressed the necessity for effective communication and coordination among all participating missions. This is crucial to ensure their operations proceed without incident and to prevent any possibility of accidental interference or collision. “Coordination is paramount,” he stated. “This event will be globally observed, and we must ensure flawless execution.”