Keen to be part of global planetary defense efforts ahead of Earth’s 2029 close encounter with asteroid Apophis, says ISRO chief

The chief of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), S Somanath, has said that the space agency is keen on participating in a planetary defense mission in space ahead of Earth's encounter with the Apophis asteroid on April 13, 2029.

During an international workshop held in Bengaluru on July 3 to mark Asteroid Day 2024, the ISRO chairman and other scientists said that India should be a part of this one-time opportunity.

“When Apophis comes in the year 2029, we should be able to go and meet this asteroid when it is very close to Earth. It is a one-time opportunity for humanity to work with an asteroid. India should be part of such efforts. It is yet to be decided in what way we should participate,” the ISRO chairman said at the Asteroid Day event.

ISRO is working towards studying the asteroid Apophis when it is 32,000 km away from Earth in 2029 so that planetary defense efforts can be taken to prevent the asteroid from crashing onto Earth, ISRO scientists said.

"It could involve putting an instrument on the JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), ESA (European Space Agency), and NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) joint Apophis asteroid mission, or we may join by providing support in some manner, or we may do something else. We must provide whatever support we can in the mission in order to participate and learn. We are eager to spread our knowledge,” he said.

International Asteroid Day is observed by the space community on June 30 every year to commemorate the massive air blast from an asteroid that flattened 2,200 sq km of forest in Siberia, Russia, on June 30, 1908.

The asteroid workshop in Bengaluru was held to raise awareness among school students about the impact threats of asteroids, highlight the importance of asteroid research for a better understanding of the universe, and inspire innovative solutions for planetary defense, the ISRO said.