NASA will do THIS when 'God of Destruction' asteroid Apophis comes near Earth in 2029

In about five years, on April 13, 2029, the near-Earth asteroid Apophis, popularly named 'God of Destruction', will make a historically close approach to Earth, passing just 30,000 miles (around 48,280 kilometres) away.

Named after the Egyptian god of chaos, the asteroid, which is approximately 1,000 feet (around 305 metres) wide, will be so close that it will be visible to the naked eye. This 'close call' will provide a unique scientific opportunity that NASA researchers are eager to seize.

NASA to take advantage of the dangerous asteroid

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On the day Apophis comes close to our planet, NASA's OSIRIS-APEX spacecraft will be in a position to study the 'God of Destruction'.

Not only this, but there might also be a host of little satellites from the "NEAlight" project. A team at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg initiated this project under the guidance of space engineer Hakan Kayal.

These three satellites aim to gather vital data which could enhance our understanding of the solar system and aid in developing strategies for planetary defence.

'God of Destruction' Apophis

Apophis has been a significant subject of study since its discovery in 2004 due to its size and the potential proximity of its orbit to Earth.

It featured prominently on risk lists — European Space Agency's (ESA's) and NASA's Sentry Risk Table for 17 years — for potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs) until 2021, when observations confirmed that it poses no threat of collision with Earth for at least the next hundred years.

Despite the absence of an immediate threat, the 2029 encounter with Apophis presents a valuable chance to analyse a primordial object that has witnessed the solar system's history since its formation about 4.6 billion years ago.

(With inputs from agencies)