ESA Prepares RAMSES Mission to Study Asteroid Apophis
The European Space Agency (ESA) is preparing for the Rapid Apophis Mission for Space Safety (RAMSES), aimed at studying asteroid 99942 Apophis during its close flyby of Earth on April 13, 2029. This mission is part of ESA’s broader planetary defense initiative, prompted by the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet impact on Jupiter in 1994. RAMSES will focus on how Earth’s gravity affects Apophis, including changes in its shape, rotation, and surface features. In collaboration with NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, which will pursue Apophis post-flyby, the mission will provide critical data to enhance asteroid deflection strategies and ensure planetary safety.
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