Asteroid Apophis to pass close to Earth in 2029

In April 2029, asteroid Apophis will pass within 30,000 miles of Earth. NASA's OSIRIS-APEX will meet the 1,000-foot-wide asteroid, visible to the naked eye. The NEAlight project aims to study Apophis, a potentially hazardous asteroid, to enhance planetary defense. Three spacecraft concepts by JMU will collect data during the close approach. Only 20 asteroid missions have been deployed, making this a rare opportunity.