The Apophis spacecraft was represented as a virtual image. Provided by planetarium
April 14, 2029 (Korean time). An asteroid the size of the Empire State Building with a diameter of about 370 meters, Apophis, has begun to approach Earth. At 6:46 a.m. that day, the distance from the Earth was closer to 37,000 km, and the geostationary orbit satellite was approaching orbit. It is the first time in 20,000 years that a large object the size of Apophis has come close to Earth. This rare moment is captured vividly by a probe carrying the Korean flag around Apophis. By directly observing the changes that occurred before and after the asteroid’s approach to Earth, such as the rotation period of Apophis and the change in the surface structure to the Earth’s gravity, it informed the world that Korea has entered the ranks of the nation of space exploration in earnest.
This story, like a sci-fi movie, has taken the first step towards becoming a reality. According to the Ministry of Science and ICT and related organizations on the 24th, a preliminary feasibility (yetta) plan report was submitted earlier this month for the country’s first independent asteroid exploration project to explore the asteroid Apophis, which is very close to Earth in 2029. The yeta investigation has started in earnest. If it is selected as an investigation target within the next month, the investigation will begin in May. According to the Yeta report, this project, which will invest about 387.4 billion won over seven years from 2024 to 2030, will develop the Apophis probe, science payload, and independent ground station system, and improve the current three-stage Korean launch vehicle Nuri into four. It was confirmed that the contents of
● Fossils in the solar system and asteroids as a treasure trove of future resources
Asteroids are believed to have preserved their environment relatively well when the solar system first formed, so space scientists view asteroids as fossils of the solar system. Because asteroids are rich in rare earths and rare minerals, they are also considered a treasure trove of future resources.
Some asteroids are likely to collide with Earth, so research is also needed in terms of planetary orientation. Apophis, which orbits the sun once every 324 days, is classified as an Earth-threating asteroid with a very low probability of collision, however. For this reason, it was named after Apophis, the god of destruction in ancient Egyptian mythology. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) predicts that a collision will not occur within the next 100 years, but that a collision could devastating a continent.
About 2,000 Earth-threatening asteroids such as Apophis have been discovered. Apophis was selected as the target of exploration among various Earth-threatening asteroids because the probe’s ‘speed increment’ is the only asteroid suitable for exploration at a speed of 6 km/s or less, and it is analyzed as an asteroid approaching in the near future of 2029. The speed increment means the speed required to escape the earth’s gravity and fly at the same speed as the asteroid. The lower the speed increment, the less fuel consumption is required for the probe, making good conditions for asteroid exploration.
● The Astronomical Institute, the Korea Institute of Science and Technology, and the National Defense Science Institute are all mobilized…the first expedition started by a Korean scientist.
The Ministry of Science and ICT, Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Korea Aerospace Research Institute, and Defense Science Research Institute already signed a business agreement in February for the exploration of Apipis. The Apophis probe and related systems will be developed from 2024 to 2027, the first phase of the project period. The probe is composed of a rescue system, a heat control system, a track control system, and a telemetry system. The mission life of the probe is about 21 months.
The scientific payloads to be carried on the spacecraft include a multi-wavelength image polarization camera for creating the world’s first asteroid polarization map, a wide-field camera for detecting Apophis dust particles, and a laser altimeter for realizing a three-dimensional (3D) model of Apophis. A near-infrared image spectroscopy camera for surface infrared spectral maps will be developed with the European Space Agency (ESA) to promote international cooperation.
It will also independently develop a ground system suitable for Apophis exploration. Develop antenna design technology for deep space exploration and orbit management technology, etc. In order to realize the speed increment required for the Apophis exploration, the top modification for the four-stage expansion of the Nuri three-stage projectile and the synthesis of the four-stage kick motor system for the interface with the probe are also being promoted. In terms of participating institutions, the Astronomical Institute is in charge of scientific payloads and scientific research, the National Defense Science Research Institute is a four-stage kick motor, and the Anti-Astronautical Institute is a convergence research type in charge of the improvement of the Nuri and the development of probes and ground stations.
In the second phase of 2028-2030, the Apophis probe is launched, and the operation control of deep space navigation and the observation of Apophis are promoted. According to the operating scenario, the probe will be launched on October 17, 2027. It will escape Earth’s gravitational field on the 21st of the same month and reach a point 1 million km from Apophis on October 23, 2028. It will approach Apophis on December 19 and January 1, 2029, and begin a six-month companion flight (Rendezvous) on January 16, 2029. Accompanying flight is an observation flight moving at the same speed as an asteroid. It is a basic technology required for on-orbit services such as fuel injection and repair, and for future commercial and military uses of space, such as docking, space debris removal, and disabling of enemy satellites.
Moon Hong-gyu, head of the Chun Moon-yeon space exploration group, said, “This is Korea’s first scientific exploration mission started by scientists.