Tag: Apophis
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AMOS Selected to Build PROVIDENCE Space Surveillance Telescope for France
Belgian optical systems company AMOS has been selected by the French aerospace research agency ONERA to design and manufacture PROVIDENCE, a ground-based telescope intended to support space surveillance operations for the French Air and Space Force. Astronomy The 2.5-meter telescope is scheduled to enter service in early 2029 and will be installed at the Haute-Provence…
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ESA Awards €81.2 Million Contract for Apophis Asteroid Mission
The European Space Agency (ESA) has awarded OHB Italia an €81.2 million contract to build, assemble and test the spacecraft for its Ramses mission, which will study the asteroid Apophis during a rare close flyby of Earth in 2029. The contract signals that the mission has entered full development following approval of funding at ESA’s…
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Hera observes asteroids as DART reveals more about its destination
Travelling through the asteroid belt, the European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft has taken its first images of asteroids. The spacecraft is heading toward asteroid 65803 Didymos and its companion Dimorphos, on a mission to study the results of an intentional collision between NASA’s DART spacecraft and Dimorphos. The new images validate Hera’s capabilities to lock…
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An exceedingly rare asteroid flyby will happen soon, but NASA may be left on the sidelines
A little less than four years from now, a killer asteroid will narrowly fly past planet Earth. This will be a celestial event visible around the world—for a few weeks, Apophis will shine among the brightest objects in the night sky. The near miss by the large Apophis asteroid in April 2029 offers NASA a…
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ESA Advances Apophis Mission Despite Funding Gaps
The European Space Agency (ESA) has approved preliminary work for the Ramses mission to the asteroid Apophis, maintaining its development timeline despite incomplete funding. ESA’s space safety program, which includes planetary defense, gave the green light on July 16 for the Ramses mission to proceed, ensuring it stays on track to visit Apophis before its…
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Armada to Apophis—scientists recycle old ideas for rare asteroid encounter
For nearly 20 years, scientists have known an asteroid named Apophis will pass unusually close to Earth on Friday, April 13, 2029. But most officials at the world’s space agencies stopped paying much attention when updated measurements ruled out the chance Apophis will impact Earth any time soon. Now, Apophis is again on the agenda,…
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Lockheed talks OSIRIS-REx success, readiness for APEX mission to Apophis
The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is on its way back to Earth after a multi-year, successful mission to the Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) Bennu. The spacecraft is now bringing a sample of Bennu’s surface back for a drop-off at Earth before continuing with an extended mission. The prolonged mission is called OSIRIS-APEX and will see the craft intercept…