Exploring the Close Encounter of Apophis: Missions and Initiatives Planned for the Potentially Hazardous Asteroid's Earth Flyby in 2029

A potentially dangerous asteroid is set to make a close pass by Earth in a few years, leading scientists to plan various missions to explore and study it. Apophis, a massive near-Earth object discovered in 2004, will come within 20,000 miles of Earth on April 13, 2029, making it ten times closer than the Moon. While initially classified as a "hazardous asteroid," further observations have ruled out any immediate threat of impact with our planet for at least another century.

Despite the lack of imminent danger, scientists are eager to make the most of this close encounter by studying Apophis and its potential impact on our planet. By comparing observations before and after the flyby, researchers hope to document any physical changes to the asteroid that could potentially alter its orbital path. Private space companies, such as Blue Origins and Exabs, have put forth proposals for missions to rendezvous with Apophis before its flyby.

Blue Origins plans to utilize the Blue Ring orbital platform to deliver payloads to Apophis, offering end-to-end services for both commercial and government customers. This platform, scheduled to launch by the end of 2024, can accommodate payloads weighing up to 6,600 pounds. On the other hand, Exabs has suggested a mission involving deploying CubeSats to perform a "CAT" scan of Apophis' interior, a concept previously studied by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

NASA has also been actively exploring opportunities to study Apophis during its close approach in 2029. The agency's OSIRIS-APEX spacecraft is already en route to study the asteroid after collecting samples from the Bennu asteroid. Additionally, NASA has a spare spacecraft, Psyche, intended for missions to asteroids 1996 FG3 and 1991 VH as part of the Janus mission, although this plan did not come to fruition.

In February, NASA organized a workshop to solicit innovative ideas from the private sector for missions during the upcoming Earth flyby of Apophis. This event marks the beginning of numerous space missions being planned by various space agencies and private companies in the lead-up to Apophis' close pass by Earth. The exploration of Apophis presents a unique opportunity for scientists and researchers to study a potentially hazardous asteroid up close and gather valuable data about its composition and behavior.

Despite the lack of immediate danger, the close flyby of this massive asteroid has sparked interest and excitement within the scientific community, leading to a surge in proposed missions and initiatives to study Apophis in the years leading up to its Earth encounter in 2029. As anticipation builds for this rare event, space agencies and private companies alike are gearing up to launch missions to explore and study Apophis, shedding light on one of the most significant near-Earth objects in recent years. The close pass of Apophis in 2029 offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness and study an asteroid of this size and potential impact on our planet, paving the way for new discoveries in planetary science and space exploration.