An American startup called Exploration Labs has announced ambitious plans to investigate the massive asteroid Apophis as it makes a historic close approach to Earth in 2029. Dubbed the Apophis EX mission, the project aims to conduct low-cost, highly collaborative scientific studies of the 450-meter-wide space rock.
The company intends to launch a spacecraft to rendezvous with Apophis, taking advantage of its rare and close passage by Earth to gather data on its composition, structure, and orbital path. The mission could provide valuable insights into asteroid science and planetary defense.
Exploration Labs emphasizes that the mission will be cost-effective and open to international partnerships, allowing multiple research institutions to participate in analyzing the asteroid. The plan represents one of the most ambitious private-sector space science projects to date, targeting an object that has long captured public and scientific interest due to its potential impact risk.
With Apophis expected to come within 31,000 kilometers of Earth in April 2029—closer than many geostationary satellites—the timing of the mission is critical. The startup hopes to launch well before the flyby to ensure the spacecraft can reach the asteroid and conduct observations.