(NLDO) - "God of Destruction" is the nickname given by scientists to Apophis, one of the objects at high risk of colliding with Earth.
The asteroid Apophis, named after Apep - a giant evil serpent who rules darkness and chaos in Egyptian mythology - is considered by leading space agencies to be the most dangerous asteroid to Earth.
An earlier calculation warned that Apophis could collide with Earth on Friday, April 13, 2029.
Apophis in near-Earth space - Graphic image: NASA
Fortunately, however, more sophisticated calculations later showed that it would only be a close encounter, within 30,000 miles (48,300 km). For at least the next 100 years, humanity can breathe a sigh of relief.
However, this is still an object that needs to be closely monitored and studied.
According to Space.com, in the "NEAlight" project, a research team from Julius Maximilians University of Würzburg (JMU - Germany) revealed the idea of sending a spacecraft to face Apophis in 2029 to learn more about it as well as about objects that threaten Earth in general.
The team's first idea was for a small satellite to join Apophis for about two months as it made its closest approach to Earth.
This particular mission would be challenging because of its duration, the distance it would need to travel, and the fact that the craft would have to operate autonomously for long periods of time. It would also have to launch at least a year before Apophis reaches the vicinity of Earth.
The team's second idea involves integrating with a larger spacecraft being planned by ESA called RAMSES, which is to study the Van Allen radiation belts surrounding the planet.
The mission could carry smaller satellites, instrumentation and telescopes, including one designed by the JMU team to collect data about Apophis.
The third idea involves a small satellite that would fly past Apophis only briefly when the asteroid is closest to Earth, taking pictures of the asteroid in the process.
Although the easiest to do and only requires launching two days before impact, the third idea would yield the least scientific data due to the short engagement time.
In addition to Apophis, the above ideas could be designed to target other Earth-threatening objects.
Humanity knows of about 1.3 asteroids in the Solar System, of which about 2,500 are considered potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs).
They are objects with the widest width reaching 140 m or more, passing the Earth at a distance of less than 20 times the Moon-Earth distance.
Among them, "God of Destruction" Apophis has the largest width of about 335 m, topping the list of PHAs with impact risk of the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA's Sentry Risk Table.
NASA sent a spacecraft to Apophis
In fact, there is already a human spacecraft on its way to find the "God of Destruction". It is NASA's OSIRIS-APEX.
OSIRIS-APEX, formerly known as OSIRIS-REx, returned samples of another planet to Earth in late September 2023 by parachute, then continued its journey to Apophis.
OSIRIS-APEX will be tasked with approaching the asteroid as it approaches Earth, exploring the structure, composition and surface of Apophis as well as changes after the close approach.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/than-huy-diet-ap-sat-trai-dat-nam-2029-cham-tran-tau-vu-tru-196240511092556785.htm
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