A EUROPEAN MISSION TO VISIT APOPHIS?

During my three year research project in astronomy I focused on Apophis, an asteroid that has captivated not me but the entire global scientific community. On April 13 2029 a rare event that only occurs once every thousand years will take place when Apophis comes within a distance of 32,000 km from Earth. This celestial body will be visible without the need for telescopes from continents like Europe and Africa – something that has never been witnessed in recorded history.

The passage of Apophis is not a significant historical event; it also provides an extraordinary opportunity to study an asteroid under ideal conditions. By studying asteroids which're the fundamental building blocks of the Solar System we can gain insights into the early evolutionary stages of both our Solar System and Earth.

Currently NASAs Osiris Apex probe is on its way to Apophis. You may recognize its name as Osiris Rex since this probe had previously visited the asteroid Bennu and collected surface samples to bring back to Earth. The samples arrived two months ago. NASA has extended the mission by redirecting it towards Apophis where it is expected to arrive on April 21 2029 – eight days after its flyby –. Orbit around for a duration of eighteen months.

Moreover the European Space Agency is considering a mission to Apophis, with objectives that complement those of the American mission. It would be really interesting to study Apophis up as it passes near Earth. We could observe how Earths gravity affects its surface and structure which could give us insights into the internal composition of an asteroid. However planning a mission, like this takes time so we'll have to wait and see if the European mission actually happens in the coming months.

Photo credit; Juan Gartner.