NASA has redeployed its spacecraft OSIRIS -REx, now renamed OSIRIS-APEX, which recently returned from deep space, to conduct three new studies. The primary focus of this mission is to investigate the extremely close flyby of asteroid Apophis in 2029. NASA emphasized that such a proximity event with an asteroid of this kind “hasn’t happened since the dawn of recorded history.”
The spacecraft came back to Earth in September after it collected samples from space rock Bennu for seven years.
Apophis, also called the “God of Chaos”, is likely to fly close to Earth on April 13, 2029, and will be only 20,000 miles away, which is closer in comparison to a few manmade satellites and will be visible in the Eastern Hemisphere.
The space rock in question, measuring nearly 370 yards across, approaches Earth approximately every 7,500 years. During its close flyby in 2029, Earth’s gravity will have an impact on the asteroid’s orbit. OSIRIS-APEX has been deployed to observe and analyze the aftermath of this interaction, specifically studying how the surface of the asteroid changes. Amy Simon, the mission’s project scientist, highlighted the importance of understanding these changes during the flyby. its spacecraft OSIRIS
The gravitational effects of Earth on the asteroid are expected to bring changes to the asteroid’s rotation period, currently at approximately 30.6 hours per day. These interactions could potentially lead to landslides and seismic activity on the asteroid, known colloquially as the “God of Chaos.”
Dani Mendoza DellaGiustina, the principal investigator for OSIRIS-APEX at the University of Arizona in Tucson, noted, “We know that tidal forces and the accumulation of rubble pile material are foundational processes that could play a role in planet formation. They could inform how we got from debris in the early solar system to full-blown planets.”
On April 13, 2029, OSIRIS-APEX will rendezvous with the S-type asteroid, Apophis, but it will not land on its surface. Instead, the spacecraft will operate in close proximity to the asteroid for the following 18 months.