NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, fresh from collecting samples from the asteroid Bennu, is now set to study another asteroid, Apophis, during its close encounter with Earth in 2029.
Renamed OSIRIS-APEX, the spacecraft aims to observe changes in Apophis caused by its near approach to Earth, including alterations to its orbit, day length, and surface.
The mission will not involve physical contact with Apophis, but will use cameras to study any changes in the asteroid. (Trending: Famous Actor Under Investigation After Calling For Biden’s Execution)
NASA launches mission to intercept “God of Chaos” asteroid before it gets near Earth’s orbit 😳
The encounter is projected to occur on April 13, 2029, where the asteroid will be around 20,000 miles from Earth, which is closer than some satellites!
Footage: @NASA pic.twitter.com/Ju1EksD6y0
— Salt (@SaltFlash) December 28, 2023
Scientists hope to uncover new insights about planet formation and the early solar system through this mission.
“The close approach is a great natural experiment,” Dani Mendoza DellaGiustina, principal investigator for OSIRIS-APEX said.
“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.”
“OSIRIS-APEX will study Apophis immediately after such a pass, allowing us to see how its surface changes by interacting with Earth’s gravity,” project scientist Amy Simon said.
“We learned a lot at Bennu, but now we’re armed with even more questions for our next target,” Simon said.
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