Scientists from a private space company are preparing a bold and controversial mission to land on a hazardous asteroid as it flies past Earth in three years’ time.
The asteroid, named Apophis, was first discovered in 2004 and is expected to pass very close to Earth in 2029.
Earlier estimates once suggested a 2.7% chance that the asteroid could collide with Earth, potentially causing damage over an area the size of a city. However, scientists at NASA have ruled out any risk of impact for the foreseeable future.
US-based company ExLabs has announced plans to send two landers to attempt a touchdown on the asteroid as it passes within about 32,000 km of Earth.
Co-founder and Chief Science Officer Miguel Pascual said, “The main goal is to gain images from the surface of the asteroid,” adding that “there’s some really exciting science that can happen.”
ExLabs plans to launch its mothership spacecraft in 2028, carrying 10 spacecraft, including the two landers. One small, shoebox-sized lander will descend slowly at about 10 centimeters per second, capturing images as it approaches and attempting a landing within an hour of deployment.
For safety reasons, the mission is planned for a week after Apophis makes its close flyby of Earth, ensuring the asteroid’s orbit remains unchanged.
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