Asteroid Apophis

Source- This post on the Asteroid Apophis has been created based on the article “Explained: ISRO’s plans to venture into planetary defence” published in “Indian Express” on 11 July 2024.

About Asteroid Apophis

1. Apophis is a large asteroid discovered in 2004. It measures about 450 meters wide.Initially, scientists thought Apophis had a small chance of hitting Earth in 2029, 2036, or 2068. This raised concerns due to its potential for causing major damage, similar to events that have impacted Earth’s history.

2. Further observations have shown that Apophis will pass Earth at a safe distance of 32,000 km in 2029. It poses no immediate threat during this pass or in subsequent expected encounters.

Studying asteroid Apophis

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is interested in studying Apophis. ISRO may send its own spacecraft or collaborate with other space agencies like NASA, which already has a mission planned.

1. Why Study Asteroids: Asteroids occasionally enter Earth’s atmosphere, with most burning up harmlessly. However, larger asteroids can cause significant damage, as seen in past events like the 2013 Chelyabinsk meteor in Russia.

2. Planetary Defense Goals: ISRO’s interest in planetary defense aims to develop capabilities to track and potentially mitigate threats from asteroids. This involves studying their trajectories and characteristics to better understand their behavior.

3. Future Missions: NASA and other agencies are planning missions to study Apophis up close in 2029. These missions will gather data to improve our understanding of asteroids and enhance our ability to predict and respond to potential threats.

UPSC Syllabus: Science and technology