Hey space fans 🚀! In an epic show of teamwork, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is teaming up with the European Space Agency (ESA) to study asteroid Apophis's close flyby in 2029. This cosmic rock will zoom just 32,000 km from Earth—closer than many geostationary satellites!
To make this happen, JAXA will provide its powerful H3 rocket as the launch ride for ESA's Ramses mission. They're even exploring a ride-share launch with their own DESTINY+ probe and pitching in high-tech gear like infrared sensors and solar array panels.
Why should you care? Studying Apophis up close helps sharpen planetary defense strategies against future asteroid threats. With NASA's OSIRIS-APEX mission facing budget uncertainties, Europe and Japan's partnership is more important than ever.
Beyond Apophis, this alliance reflects a broader push for space collaboration. At the recent Tokyo summit, the EU and Japan confirmed plans to build satellite constellations like Europe's IRIS2 network. Japan's H3 rocket has already marked its success streak, and next up is a lunar rover mission (LUPEX) with India!
Keep your eyes on the stars 🌟—with final ESA approval due this November, Ramses and its JAXA-powered launch in 2028 could redefine how humanity defends our planet from cosmic visitors.
Reference(s):
Japan to join European mission for Earth's close call with asteroid
cgtn.com
