Story perspectives

2029 Asteroid Apophis Flyby Sparks Global Research Missions

3/21/2026

Summary

Story summary

In 2029, asteroid Apophis will pass about 32,000 kilometers from Earth, triggering missions to study it.
ExLabs, a U.S. company, plans to launch its mothership ApophisExL in 2028, carrying two landers, including one from Japan’s Chiba Institute of Technology.
The Ramses mission, a European-Japanese collaboration, will deploy a lander to measure seismic activity from Earth's gravity.
Project scientist Patrick Michel calls for coordination to avoid conflicts during this landmark event.

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Story summary

In 2029, asteroid Apophis will pass about 32,000 kilometers from Earth, triggering missions to study it.
ExLabs, a U.S. company, plans to launch its mothership ApophisExL in 2028, carrying two landers, including one from Japan’s Chiba Institute of Technology.
The Ramses mission, a European-Japanese collaboration, will deploy a lander to measure seismic activity from Earth's gravity.
Project scientist Patrick Michel calls for coordination to avoid conflicts during this landmark event.