Australian Firm Plans Unique Mission to Photograph Asteroid Apophis

An Australian company, HEO Robotics, is preparing to capture images of the asteroid Apophis during its close approach to Earth on April 13, 2029. The Sydney-based firm plans to conduct a flyby of the 1,115-foot-wide (340 meters) asteroid, contributing to a series of international missions aimed at studying this rare space event.

HEO Robotics intends to acquire a satellite nearing the end of its operational life in geostationary orbit. This satellite will utilize its remaining fuel for a mission that diverges from its typical trajectory, allowing it to approach Apophis as it passes within the geostationary belt, located 22,236 miles (35,786 kilometers) above the equator. The company aims to navigate the satellite near Apophis, despite the challenges of such a mission.

Classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid, Apophis will come within approximately 5.9 Earth radii during this flyby. However, scientists have confirmed that there is no threat to Earth during this encounter. Instead, the event presents a unique opportunity for researchers, as asteroids of Apophis’s size make such close approaches to Earth only once every 7,500 years. This flyby will allow scientists to study how an asteroid is influenced by a planet’s gravitational field during close proximity.

International Efforts to Explore Apophis

HEO Robotics will not operate alone in this endeavor. NASA, the European Space Agency, and Japan are preparing their respective missions, including OSIRIS-APEX, RAMSES, and DESTINY+. These missions aim to gather data before, during, and after the flyby, which may be visible to around 2 billion people. Additionally, other spacecraft, including a probe from China, may join in the exploration of Apophis.

Will Crowe, co-founder and chief executive of HEO Robotics, discussed the mission during the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) held in Sydney in early October. He acknowledged the challenges of visiting Apophis but expressed confidence in the mission’s potential. “It’s not even the easiest asteroid to go visit,” Crowe stated. He also noted that there has been a “lack of imagination” regarding asteroid exploration, indicating that HEO’s ambitions extend beyond Apophis.

“We’re starting with just the ones that are coming through the Earth-moon system,” Crowe explained. “But there’s no reason why we can’t enable it for everything — the asteroid belt or all the other weird asteroid classes. It should be possible.”

Future of Space Exploration

HEO Robotics is looking to expand its operations beyond providing imagery from low Earth orbit. The company envisions offering images from across the solar system on demand. This mission to photograph Apophis marks a significant step in that direction, illustrating the growing interest in asteroid exploration and the potential for commercial space ventures.

As preparations for the 2029 flyby continue, the collaboration among various space agencies and private firms signals a new era in space exploration. The opportunity to gather data from Apophis could enhance our understanding of asteroids and their role in the solar system, ultimately benefiting science and industries invested in space research and exploration.