michael_w_busch, 1 month ago

The #Apophis T-5 workshop is happening this week along with the #HeraMission community meeting: https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/hera-meetings/apophis_hera_04_2024

It is a busy week for asteroid science.

michael_w_busch, 1 month ago

Discussion of the #RAMSESmission proposal from ESA to rendezvous with #Apophis before the 2029 flyby; for which a decision needs to be made soon.

Operations plan notes that orbiting the asteroid would be impossible during the flyby.

(Again, the #OSIRISAPEx mission from NASA will catch up with Apophis only after the flyby; but even then it will mostly formation-fly and make hyperbolic passes rather than orbiting.)

michael_w_busch, 1 month ago

Some of the most commonly cited work at the #Apophis T-5 workshop:

Dotson et al. 2023, "Apophis Specific Action Team Report" - https://www.lpi.usra.edu/sbag/documents/Apophis_SAT.pdf.

Especially regarding ensuring that any missions to Apophis do not change its trajectory.

No creating an impact hazard.

We have been given strict instructions to not make large piles of rock fall from the sky.