ESA Plans 2028 RAMSES Launch to Probe Apophis Before 32,000-Km Earth Flyby
Updated
Updated · Forbes · Jul 18
ESA Plans 2028 RAMSES Launch to Probe Apophis Before 32,000-Km Earth Flyby
3 articles · Updated · Forbes · Jul 18
Summary
Spring 2028 is the target launch window for ESA’s RAMSES spacecraft, which will rendezvous with asteroid Apophis in early 2029 ahead of its exceptionally close pass by Earth.
32,000 kilometers above Earth, Apophis will skim closer than many geostationary satellites on April 13, 2029, giving scientists a rare chance to measure how Earth’s gravity changes its orbit, spin and surface.
340 meters wide, Apophis is large enough for researchers to watch for shifts in orientation and possible surface landslides during the encounter, with RAMSES set to track its shape, rotation and internal structure before and after flyby.
About 90% of the world’s population should be able to see the asteroid for roughly seven hours, making the once-in-5,000-to-10,000-year event both a public spectacle and a planetary-defense experiment.
Impact fears that once put Apophis at a 2.7% risk have been ruled out for at least a century, though 2024 simulations suggested a roughly one-in-a-million chance a prior collision could still alter its path.
Could Earth’s gravity actually fracture Apophis in 2029, and what would that reveal about deflecting future killer asteroids?
Why are multiple space agencies spending billions on Apophis, an asteroid that poses no threat for at least another century?
With new routing algorithms, could a single future mission intercept and neutralize multiple dangerous asteroids instead of just studying one?
RAMSES and the 2029 Apophis Flyby: A Global Rapid-Response Mission for Planetary Defense and Science
Overview
The RAMSES mission, a joint effort by ESA and JAXA, is actively progressing as of July 2026 to prepare for the close Earth flyby of asteroid Apophis in 2029. Built on a foundation of mutual trust and technical excellence, this international collaboration aims to closely observe Apophis during its approach. RAMSES is strategically designed to collect invaluable data during the flyby, which will help refine planetary defense strategies and expand our scientific understanding of asteroids. This mission highlights how global cooperation can turn shared ambitions into real actions to protect Earth.