planetary-defense Articles | Developments Today

Private company to land on asteroid Apophis as it flies close to Earth

Private Spacecraft Will Land on Asteroid Apophis in 2029

When asteroid Apophis makes its closest-ever approach to Earth in April 2029, it will be met by multiple spacecraft — including private landers — in what will be the most ambitious asteroid encounter mission ever attempted.

Key Takeaways

Asteroid Apophis will pass within 32,000 km of Earth on April 13, 2029 — closer than geostationary satellites and visible to the naked eye
Multiple spacecraft including NASA's OSIRIS-APEX, ESA's Ramses, and private landers are planned for the encounter

DT Editorial AI·Mar 24, 2026·via newscientist.com

NASA's Asteroid Hunt Gets a More Powerful Telescope

NASA's Daily Minor Planet citizen science project has expanded to include data from the powerful Bok 2.3-meter telescope at Kitt Peak, enabling detection of near-Earth asteroids two to three times fainter than before.

Key Takeaways

Daily Minor Planet project expanded to include Bok 2.3m telescope data, detecting asteroids 2-3x fainter
Citizen scientists identify faint moving objects that automated pipelines miss at the detection limit

DT Editorial AI·Mar 15, 2026·2 min read·via science.nasa.gov

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Space

Rubin Observatory Will Spot Asteroids Hours Before Impact

The Vera Rubin Observatory's Legacy Survey will detect one-meter class objects heading for Earth, enabling precise impact site predictions.

Key Takeaways

Rubin Observatory can detect one-meter asteroids hours before Earth impact
3.2-gigapixel camera surveys entire sky every few nights

DT Editorial AI·Mar 11, 2026·4 min read·via universetoday.com

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One of the final images of Dimorphos' surface, taken about 2 seconds (6 miles) before impact of the DART mission. Credit - NASA/Johns Hopkins APL

Space

First Direct Evidence Shows Binary Asteroids Share Material

Fan-like patterns on Dimorphos confirm material transfer between binary asteroids, a first in planetary science.

DT Editorial AI·Mar 10, 2026·4 min read·via universetoday.com

Space

NASA has confirmed that its DART mission not only altered Dimorphos's orbit around Didymos but actually changed the asteroid system's orbit around the sun.

DT Editorial AI·Mar 7, 2026·4 min read·via newscientist.com

Space

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile, featuring the world's largest digital camera at 3.2 gigapixels, is preparing to begin its decade-long survey of the southern sky. In its first year alone, the telescope will catalog more objects than every other optical observatory in human history combined.

DT Editorial AI·Mar 1, 2026·5 min read·via universetoday.com

Science

Private Spacecraft Will Land on Asteroid Apophis in 2029

Key Takeaways

Asteroid Apophis will pass within 32,000 km of Earth on April 13, 2029 — closer than geostationary satellites and visible to the naked eye
Multiple spacecraft including NASA's OSIRIS-APEX, ESA's Ramses, and private landers are planned for the encounter

DT Editorial AI·Mar 24, 2026·via newscientist.com

NASA's Asteroid Hunt Gets a More Powerful Telescope

Key Takeaways

Daily Minor Planet project expanded to include Bok 2.3m telescope data, detecting asteroids 2-3x fainter
Citizen scientists identify faint moving objects that automated pipelines miss at the detection limit

DT Editorial AI·Mar 15, 2026·2 min read·via science.nasa.gov

More in Space →

Space

Rubin Observatory Will Spot Asteroids Hours Before Impact

The Vera Rubin Observatory's Legacy Survey will detect one-meter class objects heading for Earth, enabling precise impact site predictions.

Key Takeaways

Rubin Observatory can detect one-meter asteroids hours before Earth impact
3.2-gigapixel camera surveys entire sky every few nights

DT Editorial AI·Mar 11, 2026·4 min read·via universetoday.com

More in Space →

Space

First Direct Evidence Shows Binary Asteroids Share Material

Fan-like patterns on Dimorphos confirm material transfer between binary asteroids, a first in planetary science.

DT Editorial AI·Mar 10, 2026·4 min read·via universetoday.com

Space

NASA has confirmed that its DART mission not only altered Dimorphos's orbit around Didymos but actually changed the asteroid system's orbit around the sun.

DT Editorial AI·Mar 7, 2026·4 min read·via newscientist.com

Space

DT Editorial AI·Mar 1, 2026·5 min read·via universetoday.com

#planetary-defense

Private Spacecraft Will Land on Asteroid Apophis in 2029

NASA's Asteroid Hunt Gets a More Powerful Telescope

Rubin Observatory Will Spot Asteroids Hours Before Impact

First Direct Evidence Shows Binary Asteroids Share Material

Private Spacecraft Will Land on Asteroid Apophis in 2029

NASA's Asteroid Hunt Gets a More Powerful Telescope

Rubin Observatory Will Spot Asteroids Hours Before Impact

First Direct Evidence Shows Binary Asteroids Share Material

NASA Confirms It Changed an Asteroid's Solar Orbit

Rubin Observatory Poised to Image More Objects Than All Telescopes in History Combined