Shelved NASA spacecraft may observe Apophis before 2029 flyby

(NewsNation) — NASA is considering repurposing a recently shelved mission to study the asteroid Apophis ahead of its Earth flyby later this decade.

The Janus spacecraft, initially planned to launch with NASA’s Psyche mission, could now be used to observe Apophis, according to Space.com.

Apophis, a 1,100-foot asteroid, is set to pass by Earth in April 2029. At one point, it was believed to have nearly a 3 percent chance of hitting Earth, per Space.com. Scientists continue to study Apophis to assess any potential future risk.

The Janus mission, which involves a twin-satellite spacecraft, missed its scheduled launch in October 2023. NASA announced that the probes would remain in storage until they can be utilized for a future mission.

NASA previously sent its OSIRIS-APEX Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security – Apophis Explorer) spacecraft, formerly called OSIRIS-REx, on a “bonus mission” to study Apophis.

The agency has requested proposals for ideas on how to “demonstrate and test capabilities to fly by and characterize a hazardous (near-Earth object),” according to Space.com.

However, Lori Glaze, the director of NASA’s planetary science division, said studying Apophis may be challenging due to the agency’s budget constraints.

“Our budget situation is really, really challenging, and that is a reality that we have to live within. You can have the will, but without the funding, it makes it really challenging,” Glaze said at a meeting in January.

NASA’s Request for Information (RFI) notes that proposals for using the Janus spacecraft to observe Apophis should detail how the applicants plan to secure funding, according to Space.com.