Private Space Company Targets Asteroid Apophis for Historic Landing Mission
In a bold move reminiscent of science fiction, a private space company is set to attempt a landing on the 'potentially hazardous' asteroid Apophis as it makes a close pass by Earth in three years' time. This mission, echoing themes from the film Armageddon, aims to deploy two small landers to explore the celestial body during its 2029 flyby, marking a significant step in commercial deep-space ventures.
Apophis: A Close Encounter with Earth
Discovered in 2004, Apophis measures approximately 340 metres (1,115 feet) in diameter and is currently journeying toward Earth from a distance of 140 million miles (225 million kilometres). Initial calculations raised alarms, suggesting up to a 2.7 per cent chance of impact in April 2029, with potential to devastate an area the size of a major city. However, updated assessments have downgraded this threat, confirming no risk of collision for at least a century.
Despite the reduced danger, Apophis will skim remarkably close to our planet, passing just 19,800 miles (32,000 kilometres) above Earth's surface. This proximity offers a unique opportunity for scientific study, as it will be visible to the naked eye for billions of people and pass under geostationary weather satellites.
Mission Details and Objectives
The mission, led by US-based company ExLabs, involves the mothership spacecraft ApophisExL, which has successfully completed a critical review phase ahead of a planned 2028 launch. It will carry up to 10 spacecraft and instruments from various entities, including two cube-shaped landers designed to gently touch down on the asteroid's surface.
Key aspects of the landing operation include:
- One lander from an undisclosed source and another developed by Japan's Chiba Institute of Technology, with student involvement.
- Deployment from 400 metres (1,312 feet) above Apophis, descending at a slow rate of 10 centimetres per second.
- Continuous imaging during the descent, culminating in a soft landing approximately one hour later.
- Timing set for up to a week after the asteroid's closest approach to avoid altering its trajectory.
Miguel Pascual, chief science officer and co-founder of ExLabs, emphasised the scientific value, stating, 'The goal is to gain images from the surface of the asteroid. There's some really exciting science that can happen.' The landers will collect data on the asteroid's composition and surface structure, contributing to planetary defence models and broader astronomical knowledge.
Innovation and Collaboration in Space Exploration
This initiative is described as the 'world's first commercial deep-space rideshare,' supported by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Historically, asteroid missions have been dominated by costly, government-led programmes, but ExLabs aims to democratise access through affordable and flexible spacecraft.
Keiko Nakamura-Messenger, vice president of Mission Development at ExLabs and a former NASA scientist, highlighted the mission's transformative potential: 'We're working to overcome the barriers that have long kept deep-space exploration in the hands of only the largest space agencies. There are likely dozens of advanced, space-qualified instruments sitting in cleanrooms around the world... ExLabs is building the affordable, flexible spacecraft needed to give these payloads real flight opportunities.'
Joi Ito, president of the Chiba Institute, praised the educational impact, noting that involving students in designing hardware for an asteroid landing 'reshapes how they see engineering, science and their role in humanity's future in space.'
Broader Context and Future Implications
No private company has yet successfully landed on an asteroid, though other attempts, such as by US firm Astroforge, may occur later this year. The Apophis flyby is considered a 'once-in-a-lifetime event,' attracting planned studies from multiple international space agencies, including those from the US, Europe, Japan, and China.
This mission not only advances scientific understanding but also enhances planetary defence capabilities. By analysing Apophis up close, researchers can refine models for mitigating potential asteroid threats, building on techniques like NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), which demonstrated kinetic impactor methods to alter asteroid paths.
As ExLabs forges ahead with this pioneering venture, it underscores a shift toward more collaborative, commercially enabled deep-space exploration, opening new frontiers for innovation and global participation in safeguarding our planet.
