2024-02-23 20:06:13
As you may know, the asteroid Apophis, 340 meters in diameter, will pass “very close to the Earth on Friday April 13, 2029, approximately 32,000 kilometers from the surface of our Planet”, reminds us Patrick Michel, director of research at the CNRS at the Côte d’Azur Observatory, principal investigator of the ESA HeraHera mission and co-investigator of numerous international missions. This meeting, “safe for Earth”, offers us the possibility of sending a space mission which would “not only increase our understanding of potentially dangerous asteroids, but also inspire inspiration among younger generations and the great public, broadcasting live images of the surface of Apophis with Earth in the background, creating an unforgettable experience. Apophis is expected to be visible to the naked eye by more than 2 billion people in Western Europe and North Africa.
The main goal of this mission would be to study “the impact of Earth’s tidal forces on this small asteroid, potentially leading to changes in its rotation, internal structure, measurable seismic waves, and surface disturbances in real time.” “. This proximity to Earth represents “an exceptional opportunity both from a scientific point of view and for planetary defense”.
NASA sends a probe to Apophis, the potentially dangerous asteroid that will pass Earth in 2029
A mission of great scientific interest
At ESA, two mission concepts are being studied, including Ramses (Rapid Apophis Mission for Security and Safety), designed to “make a rendezvous with Apophis to study it before, during and after its approach to Earth”. This mission, currently under study in the ESA Space Security Program, will use the “same platform as the Hera mission in order to be able to develop it quickly and will carry two CubeSatsCubeSats of six units for close observations and measurements”. Ramses will be equipped with at least two cameras operating in visible light and “may include other additional payloads on Ramses or CubeSats funded by countries that wish to participate.” Among the instruments envisaged are, for example, a low-frequency radar, seismometers, dust detectors, a laser altimeter, microscopesmicroscopes, radiometersradiometers, or even laser reflectors. To add an international component (outside Europe), Jaxa (the Japanese space agencyJapanese space agency) proposes to provide a thermal infrared infrared imager based on that of the Hera mission, and NasaNasa could also provide one of the two Ramses cameras which would be a ” copy of the Mapcam camera on board its Osiris-Apex mission which will arrive on Apophis a few days after its closest pass, allowing a comparison of images before and after pass, based on the same instrument ».
The two cubesats will be “dropped near Apophis before meeting Earth” and will operate “independently, using Ramses as a relay satellite”.
But, “time is running out,” warns Patrick Michel. To reach Apophis before April 2029, the probe must be launched in April 2028 to take a direct trajectory allowing it to reach the asteroid in just 10 months (requiring a delta delta V of 1530 m/s). To be ready to launch in just four years, “the development of the mission must be able to continue without interruption, requiring that the ESA delegations, from which participation is expected, provide funding before the Ministerial Council of the ESA ESA 2025”.
Unpublished before-and-after scientific data
Ramses “will join Apophis two months before its encounter with Earth for a detailed characterization, before and after the approach of April 13, 2029”. The probe and two cubesats will perform a series of observations to characterize and detail the asteroid, including global imaging at a resolution of just 10 cm. During the passage as close as possible to the Earth, observations will be carried out “in order to observe in detail the physical, physical and dynamic alterations of the asteroid following the tidal effects induced by the Earth”. This extraordinary event that the public will be able to observe from Earth, potentially accompanied by images provided live from a probe, motivated a group – of which Patrick Michel is a part – to propose to the United Nations to make the year 2029 the world year of planetary defense in order to offer the public and younger generations events to raise their awareness of this theme and the science of these small celestial bodies throughout the year and during Apophis’ passage near the Earth .
While the study of the mission must continue to take place to be launched on time, “because Apophis will not wait for us”, final approval from the ESA is expected during its Ministerial Council in 2025. Concretely, it is necessary May the mission be launched within four years! This is why, with many scientists, “ we are currently pushing for ESA member states (delegations in ESA jargon) to finance a “bridging phase” allowing us to continue while awaiting the final decision of CM2025 which arrives too late. We are also at the origin of a letter of support for the Ramses mission. ».
“We would look smart if we look at Apophis from Earth and the only mission that will see it arrives after the fact, even though we have known the date of this meeting for 20 years…”
The general public will be there
The selection of this mission “would demonstrate our ability to quickly carry out extraordinary missions”, enthuses Patrick Michel. And added that “such an opportunity only presents itself once a millennium, in the service of science, planetary defense and public awareness, with high visibility guaranteed for the responsible space agency and its partners”. We have known for 20 years that Apophis will pass this close to Earth in 2029,” For many years we have carried out mission studies, notably at Cnes, to visit him; it is inconceivable that we will not exploit all these efforts and that we will miss this unique opportunity which we know will have a major impact both scientifically and with the public “. In addition, the expected synergies with the NASA mission, Osiris-ApexApex, which is heading towards Apophis but which “will arrive a few days after April 13, 2029”, will fuel the “great international cooperation which is at the heart of science and planetary defense. And it is no small thing to say that “ We would look smart if we looked at Apophis from Earth and the only mission that was going to see him arrived after the fact, even though we have known the date of this meeting for 20 years… »
To note
Are you interested or passionate about the subject of asteroids? If so, we recommend reading Patrick Michel’s book “ Encountering asteroids: space missions and the defense of the planet “. In this book, Patrick Michel reveals to us what we know about these celestial bodies and their origin in the history of the Solar SystemSolar System. He explains what we learn by examining them from Earth, but also thanks to observations made from space. He also recounts the missions that made it possible to approach asteroids, then land on them, millions of kilometers away, and even collect samples to bring them back to Earth.
Published in Odile Jacob Editions October 11, 2023, this book is available in all bookstores or online at fnac.com or amazon.com.
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