Receiving a permanent number made it eligible for naming by its discoverers, and they chose the name "Apophis" on July19, 2005. Radar observations of Apophis were planned at Goldstone in March 2021. An asteroid the size of almost 3,500 McDonald's Big Mac hamburgers is set to pass by the Earth on Wednesday, July 5, just a day after the Fourth of July, according to NASA's asteroid tracker. 27 March 2021 NASA Nasa said the Apophis asteroid no longer poses a threat to Earth within the next century Earthlings can breathe a sigh of relief after US space agency Nasa confirmed the. Until 2006, a small probability nevertheless remained that, during its 2029 close encounter with Earth, Apophis would pass through a gravitational keyhole of no more than about .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);clip-path:polygon(0px 0px,0px 0px,0px 0px);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}800 metres (12mi) in diameter,[11][12] which would have set up a future impact exactly seven years later on April13, 2036. The asteroid's shape is believed to be elongated and composed of two lobes, like a rocky space peanut. Its reckoned that an asteroid as big as that coming as close to Earth as Apophis will is a one-in-a-thousand-years event. The original NASA report mentioned impact chances of "around 1 in 300" in 2029, which was widely reported in the media. NASA Analysis: Earth Is Safe From Asteroid Apophis for 100-Plus Years On Friday the 13th in April 2029, a 1,000-foot-wide asteroid named Apophis will pass close enough to Earth (within 20,000 miles) to briefly appear as a 3rd-magnitude star in the night sky. An asteroid is a minor planet an object that is neither a true planet nor a comet that orbits within the inner Solar System. Subscribe 1.3K Share Save 71K views 9 months ago On the 13th of April, 2029, Earth will have a dramatic close encounter with Apophis. Near-earth asteroid 2004 mn4 reaches highest score to date on hazard scale. Using the 9 March 2021 solution, JPL gave the strength of the Yarkovsky effect as, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 99942 Apophis (2004 MN4)", "Goldstone and Arecibo radar observations of (99942) Apophis in 20122013", "99942 Apophis (2004 MN4) Earth Impact Risk Summary", "Can NEAs be Grouped by Their Common Physical Characteristics? This asteroid is one of the most likely to hit Earth. Here's what it It will study the asteroid for 18 months and perform a maneuver similar to the one it made during sample collection at Bennu, by approaching the surface and firing its thrusters. How big would an asteroid need to be to destroy life on Earth? A decent-sized asteroid, the 1,100-foot-wide Apophis, will pass so close to Earth it'll be visible in the . Even so, we were able to acquire incredibly precise information about its distance to an accuracy of about 150 meters [490 feet], said JPL scientist Marina Brozovic, who led the radar campaign. The Mr So & So song "Apophis" was written about the asteroid. but chances for impact remain small", "Goldstone Radar Observations Planning: 99942 Apophis in 2021", "NASA Analysis: Earth Is Safe From Asteroid Apophis for 100-Plus Years", "Asteroid Apophis won't hit Earth for at least 100 years, says NASA", "Horizons Batch for Apophis @ 2029-Apr-13 21:46 showing 3-sigma uncertainty of 3.4km", "Scientists Planning Now for Asteroid Flyby a Decade Away", "Possibility of an Earth Impact in 2029 Ruled Out for Asteroid 2004 MN4", "Scheduled Arecibo Radar Asteroid Observations", "Radar Observations Refine the Future Motion of Asteroid 2004 MN4", "(99942) Apophis Ephemerides for 13 Apr 2029", "Neptune from the VLT with and without adaptive optics", "Horizons Batch for Apophis @ 2116-Apr-12 17:50 showing 3-sigma uncertainty of 13 million km", "List of satellites in geostationary orbit", "Preparing for asteroid Apophis | EarthSky.org", "Horizons Batch for Apophis Orbital Elements for 2029-01-01 and 2030-01-01", "Multiple asteroid systems: Dimensions and thermal properties from Spitzer Space Telescope and ground-based observations", "NEODyS: (99942) Apophis (Close Approaches)", "99942 Apophis Ephemerides for 20672071", "Horizons Batch for Apophis on 2068-Apr-12", "NASA Refines Asteroid Apophis' Path Toward Earth", "2004 MN4 Earth Impact Risk Summary (computed on Dec 27, 2004)", "Schweickart Proposes Study of Impact Risk from Apophis (MN4)", "Hawaii astronomers keep tabs on asteroid Apophis", "Asteroid 2004 MN4 will come scarily close to Earth on April 13, 2029, but it will not hit", "Apophis asteroid encounter in 2013 should help answer impact worries", "99942 Apophis Ephemerides for 9 Jan 2013", "99942 Apophis 2013 Goldstone Radar Observations Planning", "Detection of Yarkovsky Acceleration of (99942) Apophis", "NEOWISE Observations of the Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (99942) Apophis", "C53-NEOSSat Observations and residuals", "Planetary Defense Exercise Uses Apophis as Hazardous Asteroid Stand-In", "Apophis' Yarkovsky acceleration improved through stellar occultation", "Lifetime Achievement Award of the International Occultation Timing Association", "We Got it! [17] Observations in 2020 by the Subaru telescope confirmed David Vokrouhlick's 2015 Yarkovsky effect predictions. Or, watch an animation of asteroid Apophis' 2029 close approach with Earth in this video from NASA JPL. Thats the theory behind the Apophis 2029 Planetary Defense Mission (PDM), a concept published last year and which is currently being considered as part of the Decadal Survey for Planetary Science and Astrobiology, a report compiled by the National Academy of Sciences that will set out the priorities for NASA for the next 10 years. He also writes about science communication for Elsevier and the European Journal of Physics. Retrieved November 16, 2022, from https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/sentry/torino_scale.html, Cooke, B. Learn More Don Yeomans: An asteroid large enough to cause global consequences would have to be larger than one kilometer in diameter, and NASA-supported searches have already found about 75. To give you a sense of scale, the Eiffel Tower in Paris is 324 meters tall. ", "The tumbling spin state of (99942) Apophis", "5 Plans to Head Off the Apophis Killer Asteroid", "Neil deGrasse Tyson Death By Giant Meteor", "Near-Earth Asteroid 2004 MN4 Reaches Highest Score To Date On Hazard Scale", "NASA Rules Out Earth Impact in 2036 for Asteroid Apophis", "99942 Apophis Ephemerides for April 2068", "The subtle effect of sunlight may turn the near-Earth asteroid Apophis toward Earth in 2068 . ET on Nov. 24, 2021, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Thats about as tall as the Empire State Building in Manhattan, New York. Asteroid Apophis will fly very close. Apophis has a low inclination orbit (3.3) that varies from just outside the orbit of Venus (0.746 AU) to just outside the orbit of Earth (1.099 AU). [90] The result was a narrow corridor a few kilometres wide, called the "path of risk", extending across southern Russia, across the north Pacific (relatively close to the coastlines of California and Mexico), then right between Nicaragua and Costa Rica, crossing northern Colombia and Venezuela, ending in the Atlantic, just before reaching Africa. [1] Using the 2021 orbit solution, the Earth approach on March 27, 2036, will be no closer than 0.3089AU (46.21millionkm; 28.71millionmi; 120.2LD), but more likely about 0.3097AU (46.33millionkm; 28.79millionmi). Apophis is an asteroid that became notorious in 2004 as a potential threat to Earth. Nasa analysis: Earth is safe from asteroid apophis for 100-plus years. NASA Mission Could Blast an Asteroid That Once Menaced Earth Discovery and naming 0:20 CC Asteroid Apophis - closest approach to Earth on April 13, 2029 [23] (00:20; VideoFile; April 29, 2019) (turquoise dots = artificial satellites; pink = International Space Station) Apophis was discovered on June 19, 2004, by Roy A. Tucker, David J. Tholen, and Fabrizio Bernardi at the Kitt Peak National Observatory. Other impactors have either been much larger, such as the dinosaur-killing asteroid that struck Earth 66 million years ago and caused the Chicxulub crater, or much smaller. Subsequent observations decreased the uncertainty in Apophis's trajectory. One of the show's persistent villains is an alien named Apophis. "[51] Apophis passed within 0.0966AU (14.45millionkm; 8.98millionmi) of Earth in 2013, allowing astronomers to refine the trajectory for future close passes. A NASA assessment as of February 21, 2013, that did not use the January and February 2013 radar measurements gave an impact probability of 2.3 in a million for 2068. ", With the threat of an impact negated for a while, researchers can now focus on collecting scientific information. You can see the asteroid live online in free webcasts tonight (Jan. 9). [56], No observations of Apophis were made between January 2015 and February 2019, and then observations started occurring regularly in January 2020. [30], Tholen and Tucker, two of the co-discoverers of the asteroid, are reportedly fans of the television series Stargate SG-1. Previous radar observations have suggested that Apophis has a bilobed, or peanutlike, appearance. The asteroid won't pass nearly as closely in 2021; it will remain 44 times more distant than the moon. Retrieved November 16, 2022, from https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/sentry/palermo_scale.html, CNEOS. [64] This single detection then allowed the prediction of several more events that would have been unobservable otherwise, including an occultation on April 4, which was observed from New Mexico, again by Venable, alongside others. Observations spanning 292.72 days (2004-Mar-15.1104 to 2005-Jan-01.82787) One pass at 1 (Torino scale) 15 other passes. This is what would happen if scientists found an asteroid heading to How Big is Apophis? - Universe Today The radar team continues to analyze its data, and they expect to learn more about the asteroids shape. "That's our daily bread and butter. ", "NASA refutes story of boy who predicted asteroid collision", "German schoolboy, 13, corrects NASA's asteroid figures", "NASA Statement on Student Asteroid Calculations", "Apophis Trajectory Change 20182036: Energy Reflection, Absorption, and Emission", "Impact Threat from Near-Earth Asteroid Apophis in 2036 Now Ruled Out", "Threat Characterization: Trajectory dynamics (White Paper 39)", "Near Earth Object impact simulation tool for supporting the NEO mitigation decision making process", "NASA's OSIRIS-REx probe could make a 2nd stop at infamous asteroid Apophis", Apophis T9 Years: Knowledge Opportunities for the Science of Planetary Defense, "NASA gives green light for OSIRIS-REx spacecraft to visit another asteroid", "Riding an asteroid: China's next space goal", "Optimal Trajectories for the Impulsive Deflection of NEOs", "Russia may send spacecraft to knock away asteroid", "China Reveals Solar Sail Plan To Prevent Apophis Hitting Earth in 2036", "Russia wants to target near-Earth objects with its ICBMs", "There's a new tool to help blow up asteroids Researchers from MIT and Stanford have created a tool that could improve the aim of future planetary defense missions", "Rage Interview: We speak with id's Tim Willits about their new IP, Rage", Asteroid Apophis orbit from recent observations, Interactive 3D gravity simulation of Apophis's 2029 Earth flyby, Apophis Orbital Prediction Page at NASA JPL, MBPL Minor Body Priority List (technical List) at Sormano Observatory, TECA Table of Asteroids Next Closest Approaches to the Earth at Sormano Observatory, Possibility of an Earth Impact in 2029 Ruled Out for Asteroid, Radar Observations Refine the Future Motion of Asteroid, Animation explaining how impact risk is determined, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=99942_Apophis&oldid=1163425286, Near-Earth objects removed from the Sentry Risk Table, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with failed verification from November 2021, Articles needing additional references from July 2008, All articles needing additional references, Articles containing potentially dated statements from February 2013, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2010, Articles needing additional references from December 2020, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2023, JPL Small-Body Database ID different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0. How NASA Launched Its Asteroid Killer | The New Yorker Maintained by CNEOS, the table keeps tabs on the few asteroids whose orbits take them so close to Earth that an impact cant be ruled out. DART successfully impacted its asteroid target on Sept. 26, 2022, in NASA's first attempt to move an asteroid in space. Although the report stated that likely targets would be between the 20 to 50 metres in size, it was also stated that 99942 Apophis would be an object subject to tests by the program. If an asteroid will truly strike Earth, NASA explains how - Mashable Asteroid Apophis closest approach to Earth on April 13, 2029, Animation of 99942 Apophis orbit in 20282029, History of close approaches of large near-Earth objects since 1908, Asteroid 99942 Apophis radar observations March 810, 2021 (March 26, 2021), Toggle Possible impact effects subsection, Toggle Other proposed space missions subsection, OSIRIS-APEX post-Earth-encounter rendezvous. Because astronomers were unable to track Apophis from 2015 to 2019 (it was too close to the sun and, therefore, obscured by its light), further progress on ruling out a 2068 impact was not forthcoming. China had planned an encounter with Apophis in 2022, several years prior to the close approach in 2029. [68][69][64] The next potential occultation, which occurred on March 11, was predicted to be visible from central Europe. After completing its current mission to gather a sample of asteroid Bennu in 2023, OSIRIS-REx will be renamed OSIRIS-APophis EXplorer (OSIRIS-APEX). And factors such as asteroid size, density and mass, as well as the angle and velocity at which the asteroid strikes, all affect how much damage a hit can cause. NASA-funded ATLAS has reached become the first survey capable of searching the entire dark sky every 24 hours for near-Earth objects. [35] Using the June 2021 orbit solution which includes the Yarkovsky effect, the 3-sigma uncertainty region in the 2029 approach distance is about 3.4km. Asteroid: Expert Q&A | NOVA | PBS Center for NEO Studies. [3] Apophis's surface composition probably matches that of LL chondrites. The passage of Apophis in 2029 is a must-see event, according to the researchers. PASADENA, Calif. -- Using updated information, NASA scientists have recalculated the path of a large asteroid. As a result, Apophis is classified as a near-Earth asteroid, as opposed to a main-belt asteroid. Observations of Apophis in 2029 also should give scientists a better idea of the asteroid's size, shape and composition, and even allow them to model the space rock's interior for the first time. It's rare for an asteroid of this . https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-analysis-earth-is-safe-from-asteroid-apophis-for-100-plus-years, Near-Earth Objects Coordination Centre. It's similar to how seismic waves traveling through Earth, the moon and Mars have been used to figure out what's beneath their surfaces. The diameter of Apophis is estimated to be approximately 370 metres (1,210ft). The chances were first reported as 1 in 42 (2.4%) and later that day (based on 101 observations) as 1 in 45 (2.2%). To be able to observe the changes that may be induced by the close approach to Earth, the Apophis 2029 PDM must rendezvous with Apophis some months in advance of the close approach, reads the paper. With the recent findings, the Risk Table no longer includes Apophis. How NASA Launched Its Asteroid Killer. It . It will be redirected to encounter Apophis during the asteroid's 2029 Earth flyby. I know I won't!". I keep getting anxiety about astroid apophis : r/Anxietyhelp - Reddit The close approach in 2029 will substantially alter the object's orbit, prompting Jon Giorgini of JPL to say in 2011: "If we get radar ranging in 2013 [the next good opportunity], we should be able to predict the location of 2004 MN4 out to at least 2070. During that 2029 close approach, Apophis will be visible to observers on the ground in the Eastern Hemisphere without the aid of a telescope or binoculars. published 27 November 2021 Nah, probably not for yourself. How devastating would Apophis be if it hits the Pacific Ocean? "Apophis is a piece of an early solar system planetesimal a planetary building block that never coalesced into one of our solar system's planets," Binzel said. Two teams tied for second place in the Student Category: Monash University, Clayton Campus, Australia, with Dilani Kahawala as principal investigator; and University of Michigan, with Jeremy Hollander as principal investigator. In Depth | DART - NASA Solar System Exploration Potentially hazardous near-Earth asteroid. While personal telescopes smaller . NASA announced Friday the agency decided its Psyche mission will go forward, targeting a launch period opening on Oct. 10, 2023. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Astronomers are also working to develop a better understanding of the asteroids rotation rate and the axis it spins around (known as its spin state). NASA prepares for asteroid 99942 Apophis' Earth approach - Los Angeles When the asteroid once again moved away from our star and thus could be better observed, Farnocchia and his team resolved to tackle the problem head-on and better determine the asteroid's trajectory, finally resolving if it would impact Earth in 2068. of Madrid, Spain, in cooperation with EADS Astrium, Friedrichshafen, Germany; University of Stuttgart, Germany; and University of Pisa, Italy. Apr 12, 2022,10:00pm EDT Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin On April 13, 2029 the 340m asteroid Apophis will pass inside the orbits of geosynchronous . [6][61][7] Apophis was the target of an observing campaign by IAWN, resulting in the collection of light curves, spectra, and astrometry. "Objects of the size of Apophis come this close to Earth approximately only once every thousand years, on average," Farnocchia said. "If Apophis passed through specific gravitational keyholes, the gravity of the Earth would tweak its orbit by just the right amount or should I say the wrong amount to put it on a collision course in a later year," Farnocchia told Space.com via email. Asteroid 99942 Apophis is more than 1,000 feet in size, which is equal to three football fields and it is expected to pass by at a distance of 31,900 kilometres from Earth's surface on 13 April 2029. NASA Center for Near Earth Object Studies. These probabilities were refined with radar observations the following year. Apophis is enormous. ", Unseating Apophis from the top of several space agencies' risk lists was no easy feat. 10:21 p.m. PST, Nov. 23, 2021, (1:21 a.m. EST, Nov. 24), aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 . And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com. [39], In 2036 Apophis will approach the Earth at a third the distance of the Sun in both March and December. The . A statistical impact risk analysis of the data up to this point calculated that the odds of the 2036 impact at 7.07 in a billion, effectively ruling it out. [1] Precovery observations from March 15, 2004, were identified on December27, and an improved orbit solution was computed. Live* tracker! There are no high-resolution images of the surface of asteroid Apophis, but it is likely similar to surfaces of other stony-type asteroids like Itokawa, the first asteroid from which samples were captured and brought to Earth for analysis. [104], In October 2022, a method of mapping the insides of a potentially problematic asteroid, such as 99942 Apophis, in order to determine the best area for impact was proposed. [33] Due to the closeness of the approach, it is likely that tidal forces will alter Apophis's rotation axis. A 2068 impact is not in the realm of possibility anymore, and our calculations dont show any impact risk for at least the next 100 years, said Davide Farnocchia of NASAs Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), which is managed by NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. Juan L. Cano was principal investigator. 99942 Apophis is a near-Earth asteroid and potentially hazardous asteroid with a diameter of 370 metres (1,210 feet) that caused a brief period of concern in December 2004 when initial observations indicated a probability up to 2.7% that it would hit Earth on April13, 2029. An artist's depiction of an asteroid hitting Earth. Farnocchia was referring to the Sentry Impact Risk Table. [citation needed]. From the visual observations taken in 2004, researchers at CNEOS calculated that there was around a 2.7% chance that the object would hit Earth in 2029. Later that day, based on a total of 64 observations, the estimates were changed to 1 in 62 (1.6%), resulting in an update to the initial report and an upgrade to a Torino scale rating of 4. Model of 99942 Apophis's shape, assuming the entire surface is of a similar composition. NASA doubts that, but given that Apophis just might cause a catastrophe in 40 years should we use the 2029 close shave to find out more about it? NEA Scout will visit an asteroid estimated to be smaller than a school bus the smallest asteroid ever to be studied by a spacecraft. Relying on optical telescopes and ground-based radar to help characterize every known near-Earth objects orbit to improve long-term hazard assessments, CNEOS computes high-precision orbits in support of NASAs Planetary Defense Coordination Office. And if you're interested in our near-Earth neighbors, learn more about other asteroids that will make close approaches to Earth, from NASA JPL. This will expose the asteroid's subsurface and allow mission scientists to learn more about the asteroid's material properties. In 2005, the asteroid, still considered a threatening presence near Earth, was officially named "Apophis," after the Greek name for an ancient Egyptian representation of evil. Although Apophis will not hit Earth anytime soon, the asteroid will make a close encounter with our planet on April 13, 2029, when it will pass within just 19,000 miles (31,000 kilometers). In the 2060s Apophis will approach Earth in September 2066,[1][42] and then from February 2067 to December 2071 Apophis will remain further from Earth than the Sun is. Visit our corporate site. Phil Davis & Steve Carney What is DART? "Interior structure for a potentially hazardous asteroid is something we have never measured before. Photo: Shutterstock The bad news: an asteroid as big as the Eiffel Tower and named after a god of chaos is heading towards the Earth. It would then rendezvous with, observe, and track the asteroid. The Standard Dynamical Model used for making predictions simplifies calculations by assuming Earth is a point mass; this can introduce up to 2.9 Earth radii of prediction error for the 2036 approach, and Earth's oblateness must be considered for the 2029 passage to predict a potential impact reliably. That may not sound too concerning, but those odds are terribly high compared to the odds of an impact from any other known large asteroids. Asteroid Apophis Bigger Than Thought: See It Online Tonight | Space (As of February2013. NASA News Release 08-103 reaffirmed that its estimation of a 1-in-45,000 chance of impact in 2036 remained valid. Like all asteroids, Apophis is a remnant from the early formation of our solar system about 4.6 billion years ago. OSIRIS-APEX will enter orbit around Apophis soon after the flyby, providing an unprecedented close-up look at the asteroid. The minimum possible Earth approach between 520 April 2116 is 0.001AU (150thousandkm; 93thousandmi; 0.39LD). On that date, it will become as bright as magnitude3.1[32] (visible to the naked eye from rural as well as darker suburban areas, visible with binoculars from most locations). The OSIRIS-REX spacecraft is on its way back to Earth,. Asteroids, comets, Kuiper Belt Objectsall kinds of small bodies of rock, metal and ice are in constant motion as they orbit the Sun. NASA's impact risk page lists the diameter at 330 metres (1,080ft) and lists a mass of 41010 kg based on an assumed density of 2.6g/cm3. By 2116 the JPL Small-Body Database and NEODyS close approach data start to become divergent. [19] The asteroid has been observed by NEOWISE (between December 2020 and April 2021)[59][60] and by NEOSSat (in January 2021). This will be the closest approach to Earth by an asteroid of this size that scientists have known about in advance. NASA Solar System Exploration; NASA JPL. Apophis is 340 feet across or nearly four times the size, which would produce an explosion of just around 850 . 2029 Earth Encounter Impact On Apophis Asteroid - YouTube Launch. According to NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission page, the spacecraft will observe the flyby and then use its gas thrusters to kick up and study small rocks and dust on Apophis' surface. [103], On February 15, 2016, Sabit Saitgarayev, of the Makeyev Rocket Design Bureau, announced intentions to use Russian ICBMs to target relatively small near-Earth objects. The distance between the Apophis asteroid and Earth at the time of the asteroid's closest . Another European team took home $5,000 for third place. Vicky Stein last updated 14 December 2022 Asteroid Apophis won't collide with Earth in the next century, but its scientific impact will be tremendous. [20][21] The uncertainty in the 2029 approach distance has been reduced from hundreds of kilometers to now just a couple of kilometers,[22] greatly enhancing predictions of future approaches. "We have run simulations of an impact between Apophis and Earth, but at 340 meters across, the outcome of an Apophis-scale impact with Earth is very uncertain," said Gareth Collins, a professor in the Department of Earth Science and Engineering at Imperial College London. [15] Entering March 2021, six asteroids each had a more notable cumulative Palermo Technical Impact Hazard Scale than Apophis, and none of those has a Torino level above 0. Bill Dunford The principal investigator was Paolo D'Arrigo. NASA Solar System Exploration; NASA. [48] With a cumulative Palermo Scale rating of 3.22,[3] the risk of impact from Apophis is less than one thousandth the background hazard level. https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/osiris-rex/in-depth. The big asteroid Apophis will pass safely by Earth tonight (March 5) and at least two astronomy broadcast services plan to showcase the flyby in live webcasts. The commercial competition was won by a design called 'Foresight' created by SpaceWorks Enterprises, Inc.[97] SpaceWorks proposed a simple orbiter with only two instruments and a radio beacon at a cost of ~US$140million, launched aboard a Minotaur IV between 2012 and 2014, to arrive at Apophis five to ten months later.