NASA Plans Deep Dive into Near-Earth Asteroid Apophis

Following the success of the DART mission, NASA plans a follow-up mission to the near-Earth asteroid Apophis. Apophis, approximately 370 meters in diameter, will make a close approach to Earth on April 13, 2029, offering scientists a rare opportunity to study its internal structure. This close flyby will see Apophis perturbed by Earth's gravity, altering its shape; observing its response will reveal its internal composition, crucial information for future asteroid threat mitigation. NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft has had its mission extended to rendezvous with and study Apophis.