The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is keeping a close watch on a sizable asteroid named ‘Apophis’, which is projected to approach Earth closely. This asteroid, named after the Egyptian deity associated with chaos, will make its nearest approach to Earth on April 13, 2029.
Isro has recently expanded its focus to include planetary defense, a new field dedicated to safeguarding Earth from potential threats posed by extraterrestrial objects.
NDTV reported S Somanath, chairman of Isro, as saying, “A large asteroid strike is a real existential threat for humanity. Isro is very alive to that threat and our Network for Space Objects Tracking and Analysis (NETRA) is monitoring Apophis very closely. After all, we have only one earth to live on. India will cooperate with all nations to ward off this and other such future threats.”
Apophis was initially discovered in 2004, and its orbit, which brings it near Earth, has been monitored meticulously. The asteroid is expected to make its next close approach in 2029, followed by another in 2036. Although there are some concerns about a potential impact, studies indicate that the 2029 encounter will likely result in a flyby rather than a collision, the report said.
The proximity of this flyby can be gauged by comparing it to the orbit of India’s geostationary satellites, which are positioned at a higher altitude than the closest approach Apophis is projected to make.
At approximately 32,000 km from Earth, Apophis will come closer than any other asteroid of its size to our planet.
Apophis can cause continental-scale devastation
With an estimated diameter ranging from 340 m to 450 m, Apophis qualifies as a potentially hazardous asteroid due to its size exceeding 140 m, especially when it approaches Earth, the report said.
According to estimates from Isro, an asteroid with a diameter exceeding 300 m could result in “continental-scale devastation”. In a more severe scenario, an asteroid larger than 10 km could lead to ‘mass extinction’, the report said.
AK Anil Kumar, who leads Isro’s Network for Space Objects Tracking and Analysis (NETRA), explained that such a large asteroid collision could bring about “global disruption”. He noted that a collision could lead to catastrophic consequences, including regional extinctions, and the debris ejected could envelop the atmosphere, causing widespread global impact.
Historically, around 500,000 years ago, a meteor struck the Lonar region in Maharashtra, India, leaving behind a crater lake that spans over a square kilometer.
The report quoted Somanath as saying that Isro plans to observe the Apophis asteroid during its closest approach in 2029. He referenced the Lonar Crater Lake as a pertinent example of the impact such meteor strikes can have.
How is Nasa planning to avert the asteroid crisis?
Nasa is preparing a mission to prevent a potential crisis involving an asteroid. Major space agencies around the world are expected to undertake multiple missions to monitor not only the asteroid’s path but also to analyse its composition.
Nasa’s OSIRIS-REx, the first US spacecraft to return asteroid samples, will now be redirected to rendezvous with Apophis. Meanwhile, the European Space Agency is exploring a 2028 mission named ‘Rapid Apophis Mission for Security and Safety’ (RAMSES), with potential participation from India, as noted by Somanath.
To alter the asteroid’s trajectory away from Earth, various methods are being explored. These include impacting the asteroid with a spacecraft like NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), employing a gravity tractor to gently push it off course, or using a high-speed ion beam to redirect it. As a last resort, nuclear explosives might be used to detonate the asteroid, the report said.
First Published: Sep 10 2024 | 3:18 PM IST
