Unveiling the Mysterious Encounter: Spacecraft's Epic Flyby of Chaotic Egyptian God

Join CNN's Wonder Theory science newsletter and delve into the astonishing realm of the universe, comprising captivating explorations, groundbreaking scientific breakthroughs, and much more. Following the triumphant completion of NASAs inaugural space-dwelled asteroid sample delivery through the OSIRIS-REx mission, now rebranded as OSIRIS-APEX, this extraordinary endeavor sets course to investigate an asteroid anticipated to closely approach our planet in a mere few years.

In approximately 5 and a half years, Apophis, a space rock measuring approximately 1,200 feet (366 meters) in diameter, will pass within 20,000 miles (32,187 kilometers) of Earth. This proximity is closer than both satellites orbiting our planet and 10 times nearer than the moon. Apophis, named after the Egyptian god of chaos and darkness, is believed to have a peanut-shaped form.

Once Apophis completes its close approach to Earth on April 13, 2029, OSIRIS-APEX (which stands for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-APophis Explorer) will utilize the gravitational force of our planet to enter an orbit around the asteroid. Subsequently, OSIRIS-APEX will conduct an intensive study of Apophis for a duration of 18 months.

An artist's rendering shows OSIRIS-APEX kicking up dust so it can study Apophis.

University of Arizona embarks on a remarkable leg of its spacecraft's voyage. Having completed a seven-year mission to the near-Earth asteroid Bennu as OSIRIS-REx, the spacecraft conducted surveys, successfully landed on the asteroid, and collected a pristine sample from the celestial body.

The sample has now been relocated to NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston. At this new location, a thorough analysis will be conducted on the rocks and soil gathered from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu. This analysis holds the potential to provide valuable insights into the origins of our solar system and the composition of asteroids that may pose a collision risk to Earth in the future.

Unfortunately, the spacecraft will not be able to retrieve a sample from Apophis due to the sample collection head being included in the capsule containing the Bennu sample that was brought back to Earth. However, the OSIRIS-APEX will still utilize its gas thrusters in an attempt to stir up dust and small rocks on both the surface and subsurface of Apophis. This study will be conducted approximately 15 months after the spacecraft has orbited the asteroid.

What Apophis could reveal

Apophis is of interest because its an S-type, or stony, asteroid, in contrast to Bennu, which is a C-type, or carbonaceous, asteroid.

C-type asteroids consist of clay and silicate rocks, whereas S-types primarily consist of silicate materials and nickel-iron. By closely orbiting the asteroid, spacecrafts can determine the surface strength of stony asteroids and assess the extent of weathering they undergo in the space environment.

Planning to defend Earth is another primary motivation for the extended mission. Stony asteroids, which belong to the most common class of potentially hazardous asteroids, pose a threat to our planet. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of their composition and obtaining other important details from a close orbit could assist agencies like NASA and its partners in determining the most effective methods to divert these asteroids if they are predicted to collide with Earth.

"Apophis is widely known as one of the most notorious asteroids," said Dani DellaGiustina, the principal investigator of OSIRIS-APEX. "Initially discovered in 2004, there were concerns about its potential impact on Earth during its close approach in 2029. Although subsequent observations dismissed this risk, Apophis will still come closest in comparison to any other asteroid of similar size that has been closely monitored for the past 50 years or even within the next 100 years, based on our current knowledge of discovered asteroids."

"It will come within one-tenth of the distance between the Earth and moon during the 2029 encounter," stated DellaGiustina, an assistant professor of planetary sciences at the University of Arizona. "Residents of Europe and Africa will be able to observe it with the naked eye, demonstrating the significant proximity. We were thrilled to discover that the mission was extended."

NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies confirmed in 2021 that observations of Apophis' orbit around the sun ruled out the possibility of the space rock colliding with Earth in 2068.

An illustration depicts OSIRIS-APEX's anticipated close flyby of Apophis in 2029.

Heather Roper, a researcher from the University of Arizona, is part of a team responsible for managing a risk list. This list keeps track of asteroids that have orbits bringing them in close proximity to Earth, raising concerns about the possibility of an impact. To analyze the potential dangers these near-Earth objects pose to our planet, scientists at the center employ radar and telescopes for detailed studies.

Monitoring Apophis during and after its close encounter with Earth will allow scientists to observe any alterations in its orbit that may impact the probability of it colliding with our planet in the future, as well as any modifications in the surface or rotation rate of the asteroid. DellaGiustina has a long-standing involvement with the spacecraft and currently serves as the deputy principal investigator for analyzing the Bennu sample. In 2004, while studying at the University of Arizona, she participated in an asteroids seminar led by Dante Lauretta, a renowned professor of planetary sciences and the principal investigator for the OSIRIS-REx mission.

"(DellaGiustina) led a student experiment design for a discovery version of what we called Osiris back then," Lauretta recalled. "Now, she takes the spacecraft on to the next adventure."