A cruise ship-sized asteroid could impact the Earth in 2029

The European Space Agency (ESA) created Ramses, the planet's defense mission designed to monitor a potential danger that could impact the Earth five years from now: asteroid Apophis.

Photo: ESA

In a statement, the ESA reported that Ramses will be in charge of monitoring the asteroid that could impact Earth on April 13, 2029.

Photo: ESA

Apophis is the size of a cruise ship: about 400 meters (1,312 ft) in diameter, so its impact on the planet would be potentially lethal depending on where it fell.

Photo: ESA

The Rapid Apophis Mission for Space Security, as it’s called, will join the asteroid 99942 Apophis and will accompany it on its trajectory, monitoring it, the space agency said.

Photo: ESA

As the asteroid approaches Earth, researchers will analyze the influence of the planet's gravity to consider altering its physical characteristics.

Photo: ESA

The objective of the mission is to minimize the risk of Apophis colliding with Earth. However, experts say that rather than impacting the Earth, is more probable Apophis just passes close to it: 32,000 kilometers (19,800 miles) from the planet.

Photo: ESA

Although that distance may seem too far, it’s closer than you think. If this trajectory is maintained, 25% of the planet's population could see the passage of Apophis. Especially in specific areas of Europe, Africa and Asia.

Photo: ESA

For an asteroid of this size to pass so close to the planet is something unusual that, according to ESA, only occurs once every 10,000 years. For this reason they want to control it as much as possible.

Photo: ESA

In fact, according to astronomers and experts, it has been ruled out that any asteroid will collide with Earth in the next 100 years, except for the reasonable doubt of Apophis.

Photo: ESA

For this reason, the huge rock that is Apophis will be monitored in detail in order to avoid what would be catastrophic for humanity.

Photo: ESA

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