(University of Arizona / Heather Roper)
The mission OSIRIS-REx will now study a new target: the famous asteroid Apophis, which was previously considered the most dangerous body for the Earth.
The spaceship, which is now flying towards Earth with the soil of the asteroid Bennu, will go to Apophis in 2023 and will explore it from orbit.
The OSIRIS-REx (Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification Security Regolith Explorer) ship was launched into space in 2016 and became the third device designed to deliver asteroid samples to Earth.
The main target of OSIRIS-REx was the near-Earth Bennu asteroid, and the station arrived at it at the end of 2018.
In October 2020, the device took a soil sample, the total mass of the collected asteroid matter was about 400 grams.
In May 2021 OSIRIS-REx egan its travel to Earth, the return capsule with soil should land at the test site in Utah in September, 2023.
And on April 26, NASA announced the extension of the OSIRIS-REx science program for 9 years. This increases the total cost of the mission by $200 million.
The device will receive the designation OSIRIS-APEX (APophis EXplorer), and will study the asteroid Apophis, which until March last year was considered the most dangerous for the Earth and received four points on the Turin scale.
Apophis belongs to the S-type, has a diameter of 350 meters and can be a "rubble pile". On April 13, 2029, the asteroid is expected to fly by about 30,000 kilometers from Earth.
Researchers expect that OSIRIS-APEX will make the first maneuver on the way to Apophis 30 days after the drop of the capsule.
Then, upon reaching the asteroid the ship will explore it for 18 months from orbit, examining the composition and morphology of the surface. The exact date of arrival is not yet known.
In addition, the craft will descend above the surface of the asteroid and turn on its thrusters to expose the surface layers of Apophis for study.
Scientists note that the extended program is characterized by significant technical risks.
For example, before starting work, it is necessary to make sure that the station is able to operate at a maximum approach to the Sun up to 0.5 astronomical units.
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