NASA’s plan for ‘God of Destruction’ asteroid Apophis in 2029 revealed

In approximately five years, on April 13, 2029, the near-Earth asteroid known as Apophis, often referred to as the ‘God of Destruction’, will come extraordinarily close to Earth, passing at a distance of just 30,000 miles (about 48,280 kilometers).

Apophis, named after the Egyptian god of chaos, measures about 1,000 feet (roughly 305 meters) in diameter and will approach so closely that it will be visible without the need for telescopes. This event is eagerly anticipated by NASA researchers as a rare scientific opportunity.

On the day Apophis approaches Earth, NASA’s OSIRIS-APEX spacecraft will be strategically positioned to study this close-encountering asteroid. Additionally, the encounter will be monitored by three small satellites from the “NEAlight” project, led by space engineer Hakan Kayal at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg. These satellites are designed to collect critical data that will deepen our understanding of the solar system and help develop strategies for planetary defense.

Apophis has been the focus of scientific attention since its discovery in 2004, primarily due to its substantial size and the closeness of its orbit to Earth. It was listed on the European Space Agency’s (ESA’s) and NASA’s Sentry Risk Table as a potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA) for 17 years. In 2021, further observations confirmed that Apophis does not pose a collision threat to Earth for at least the next century.

Despite there being no immediate danger, the 2029 close approach of Apophis offers a priceless opportunity to study a primordial celestial body that has been part of the solar system since its inception approximately 4.6 billion years ago.