Context:
In an unprecedented extension of its celestial duties, the spacecraft that delivered asteroid samples from Bennu, OSIRIS-REx, has embarked on a new mission, and NASA has renamed it as OSIRIS-APEX.
Relevance:
GS III: Science and Technology
Dimensions of the Article:
- OSIRIS-APEX Mission: Exploring Changes in Asteroid Apophis
- Key Facts about Apophis
OSIRIS-APEX Mission: Exploring Changes in Asteroid Apophis
Mission Overview:
- Purpose: Study the physical changes in asteroid Apophis during its close encounter with Earth in April 2029.
- Close Approach: Apophis will come within 20,000 miles of Earth’s surface, closer than our highest-altitude satellites.
- Mission Objectives: Observe changes induced by Earth’s gravitational pull, including alterations in orbit, rotation speed, and surface features.
OSIRIS-APEX Spacecraft:
- Approach: The spacecraft will dip toward the surface of Apophis for close observations.
Key Facts about Apophis:
- Discovery: Discovered on June 19, 2004.
- Composition: Stony “S-type” asteroid with silicate material and a mix of metallic nickel and iron.
- Origin: Remnant from the early solar system formation about 4.6 billion years ago.
- Formation Location: Originated in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
- Orbit Change: Influenced by large planets like Jupiter, Apophis now orbits the Sun closer to Earth.
- Classification: Classified as a near-Earth asteroid due to its altered orbit.
-Source: Indian Today
