Spanish Spacecraft Takes on Mission to Scrutinize Asteroid Apophis for Potential Planetary Risks
Turbo-charging Planetary Defense: Ramses, the Vanguard of Asteroid Exploration
In the not-so-distant future, our focus shifts towards Apophis, a monstrous 400-meter-long asteroid set to buzz Earth in 2029. To prepare for potential future threats, the European Space Agency (ESA) has roped in a gravitas-pumped company based in Elche, Alicante to construct a groundbreaking satellite.
This petsy CubeSat (10 centimeters by 10 centimeters) is no shrinking violet. It's the brave heart that will dive into the European mission nicknamed Ramses.
Ramses: the bulwark of forthcoming planetary defense - 09/09/24
investigating the enigmatic asteroid
At the commencement of 2028, this minuscule satellite will take on the mantle of analyzing the intriguing asteroid Apophis. Apophis, an asteroid spanning nearly 400 meters in diameter and first discovered in 2004, had once been teetering on the brink of a collision course with our humble Earth, with an estimated impact probability of 2.7%. Fortunately, improvements in its orbit have now eliminated the short-term and medium-term impact risk, reduced to a big fat zero.
Apophis is expected to skim past our planet at a mere 32,000 kilometers in April 2029. During this historic encounter, the Spanish satellite will join the mission, landing on the asteroid to assess its geophysical traits. "The first one will orbit it. The second, which we are developing, has the goal of touching down on the asteroid to measure its geophysical characteristics," comments José Antonio Carrasco, the director of Emxys, to TVE.
data for future defense strategies
Data garnered from the mission will play a pivotal role in shaping future planetary defense, as our eyes are set on another bolide carrying a substantial probability of colliding with our planet. It's the asteroid 2024 YR4, which was discovered on December 27, 2024, and has a diameter estimated between 40 and 90 meters.
After escalating the impact probability in February of the current year, NASA tweaked the calculations of the impact likelihood with Earth, leaving it at 0.28%, according to statistics from the Center for the Study of Near-Earth Objects. However, scientists continue to keep a watchful eye on its trajectory.
NASA and ESA revise the impact probability of asteroid '2024 YR4' "Our aim is to devise strategies so we can fend off an asteroid if it truly constitutes a threat," explains the co-founder of the company, Francisco García. Due to its miniature dimensions and the need for incorporating cutting-edge equipment, the construction requires "the adoption of ultra-modern manufacturing methods," he competently emphasizes.
The expert elaborates that these are techniques that necessitate exceptional precision and are executed in pristine, specialized facilities. "The temperature and humidity levels are maintained at all times to ensure the electronics function optimally," elaborates José Antonio Palazón, the mastermind of operations.
The CubeSat, measuring just 10 centimeters by 10 centimeters, will begin investigating the asteroid Apophis in 2028, having a diameter of nearly 400 meters. This data will be crucial for future planetary defense strategies, as another potential threat, asteroid 2024 YR4, is currently under careful observation. The ultra-modern manufacturing methods used in the CubeSat's construction are essential due to its compact size and the need for incorporating advanced equipment.
