ESA’s Ramses mission is aimed at the Asteroid’s historic flyby

The European Space Agency (ESA) has officially launched its efforts to rendezvous with asteroid Apophis ahead of the space rock’s unprecedented close approach to Earth in 2029.

The agency has signed a contract of 63 million euros with OHB Italy to begin the preparatory work with Ramse’s mission-a bold effort to study Apophis as it approaches Earth. The mission aims to be ready for launch in early 2028, ensuring that the spacecraft can reach Apophis about two months before it April 2029 fly by. ESA hopes this planetary defense mission will provide critical insights into asteroid composition and dynamics during this rare encounter.

Apophis: An asteroid too close for comfort

Tea asteroid Apophismeasuring about 375 meters in diameter, has long been on scientists’ radar due to its unusually close approach to Earth. We 13 April 2029Apophis will pass inside geostationary orbit— closer than many satellites. This flyby gives scientists a unique opportunity to study the asteroid up close and collect data that could be critical to planetary defense and our understanding of near-Earth objects.

Tea Ramse’s mission– named for its role in rapid response to this close encounter – will be designed to study the composition, structure and behavior of Apophis as it flies past Earth. The spacecraft will focus on understanding how tidal forces from Earth’s gravity affects the asteroid’s cohesion, giving scientists unprecedented data on how asteroids behave under such extreme gravitational influences.

“We could not wait for the ministerial meeting,” said Paolo MartinoESA’s Ramses project manager, citing the urgency of the mission’s timeline. “Getting there on time is very challenging. We asked our member states to use the available resources to start now, because if we miss by a week, the asteroid is gone.”

Preparation for a tight deadline

The key challenge for the Ramses mission is time. The mission must be launched in beginning of 2028 to ensure it reaches Apophis ahead of the asteroid’s flyby. Missing this window would mean losing the opportunity to study the asteroid up close. “There will be another way to deal with mission risks,” explained Roberto Acetimanaging director at OHB Italia, who emphasizes the need for fast and efficient project management. “Risks here are delays. If we miss a week, the asteroid is gone.”

The current contract allows OHB Italia, the main contractor for boats Hera and Rameses missions, to begin acquiring long-lead objects and finalize the spacecraft design. The design will be an adapted version of ESA’s Hera missionwhich was recently launched to study the aftermath of NASA’s DARTS asteroid impact test. The streamlined Ramses spacecraft will use a simplified architecture to minimize costs and adhere to the tight launch schedule.

Although the mission has received initial funding, the €363 million required for the project is still pending. ESA’s member states will make a final decision on full funding on Council of Ministers 2025. Until then, work with Ramses will focus on mission-critical activities that ensure that if the mission is approved, it can hit the ground.

International cooperation and planetary defense

Tea Ramse’s mission is not only a scientific endeavor – it is also a major step forward for planetary defense. Apophis fits into ESA’s planetary defense framework, as the agency aims to provide one three weeks notice for all objects larger than 30 meters and deflect asteroids up to 500 meters in diameter. “This is not only a fascinating mission for us; it is also an important milestone for our planetary defense activities,” said Holger Kraghead of ESA’s Space Safety Program.

ESA is also working closely with other international space agencies to ensure that the Ramses mission is coordinated with the global effort to study Apophis. NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft currently returning to Earth after collecting samples from asteroid Bennu will begin an extended mission—OSIRIS APEX– to visit Apophis shortly after the earth flies by. The Ramses mission and OSIRIS-APEX are part of a growing trend of collaboration between space agencies, building on the successful partnership seen in NASA’s DARTS and ESAs Hera missions.

“We welcome participation from international space agencies, research institutions and educational institutions,” said Li GuopingChina’s CNSA chief engineer emphasizing the importance of global cooperation in studying Apophis and planetary defense.

Asteroid Apophis, ESA’s Ramses mission

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