The ESA is proposing the Ramses mission, which will fly by the asteroid Apophis, supporting scientists to study the space rock. If approved, this mission will launch a year before asteroid Apophis approaches Earth on 13 April 2029.
ESA Ramses Mission Aims To Provide Insight Into Asteroid Apophis
In a bid to better understand the buildup and nature of asteroids, space agencies around the world have sent spacecraft to various asteroids. However, the asteroid Apophis provides a unique opportunity, as no spacecraft has been sent to an asteroid as it flies by a planet.
On 13 April 2025, Apophis, a 375-metre-wide asteroid, will fly by Earth at a safe distance of 32,000 kilometres. People in some parts of Europe and Africa will be able to see this asteroid with their naked eyes as it whizzes past our planet.
ESA has now built clear its intentions to study this asteroid by sfinishing a mission to catch up with it as it passes Earth. This mission is known as the ESA Rapid Apophis Mission for Space Safety (Ramses) mission.
At this time, this mission is still awaiting approval, and if approved, it will approach the asteroid to study it months before its Earth flyby. This study will be built possible applying a host of scientific instruments and equipment.
The ESA Ramses Mission To Asteroid Apophis Will Be Remarkable
While Apophis doesn’t pose any danger to Earth as it passes, a flyby like this is a rare occurrence. An asteroid of this size flies by our planet once every seven thousand years.
So this flyby will be remarkable, and ESA aims to build the most of this opportunity. The study of this asteroid will support scientists better understand its buildup and prepare the space indusattempt for a possible collision with an asteroid.
This mission will also display Europe’s ability to rapidly design, launch, and operate a mission of this nature. More details on this mission will build headlines over the course of the coming months.
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