Updated

Updated · abcnews.com · Jun 30

Scientists Urge More Telescopes on Asteroid Day's 10th Anniversary as NASA Targets 2/3 of Threats

Updated

Updated · abcnews.com · Jun 30

Scientists Urge More Telescopes on Asteroid Day's 10th Anniversary as NASA Targets 2/3 of Threats

Q: Why did NASA cancel its mission to the 'God of Chaos' asteroid before its historic 2029 Earth flyby?

NASA’s Apophis mission was effectively dropped from its original plan because the agency’s fiscal 2026 and 2027 budget requests proposed ending OSIRIS-APEX, the repurposed OSIRIS-REx spacecraft meant to study the asteroid after its 2029 Earth flyby. The issue was funding, not a new scientific concern about Apophis itself. In the budget proposals, OSIRIS-APEX was among science missions marked for termination as NASA faced broader pressure on its science portfolio. That meant the spacecraft would no longer be positioned to observe Apophis during its most valuable window around the April 2029 close approach. That timing matters because Apophis, about 1,500 feet wide, will pass within roughly 20,000 miles of Earth, close enough to be visible to the naked eye. Scientists see it as a rare chance to watch how Earth’s gravity may alter an asteroid’s surface and internal structure in real time. Missing that moment has been described by NASA’s Office of Inspector General and outside scientific groups as a major lost opportunity for both science and planetary defense. Strictly speaking, NASA did not cancel a mission that was going to arrive before the flyby; OSIRIS-APEX had been planned to study Apophis after the encounter. But the budget-driven termination means NASA is set to miss the historic event itself. The European Space Agency’s Ramses mission, with JAXA participation, remains on track to observe Apophis during the 2029 passage.

3 articles · Updated · abcnews.com · Jun 30

Scientists marking the 10th Asteroid Day warned Earth still lacks enough telescopes to find dangerous near-Earth objects before they can cause casualties.
Nearly 40,000 near-Earth objects had been identified by April 2025, but experts said the main gap is detection—especially dim asteroids far from Earth that current instruments miss.
NASA's planned NEO Surveyor, launching as early as fall 2027, will use infrared sensors and is tasked with finding at least two-thirds of potentially hazardous asteroids over five years.
Recent cases show both progress and limits: DART proved in 2022 that an asteroid's path can be altered, while asteroid 2024 YR4 briefly reached a 3.1% impact probability before further observations ruled it out.
Apophis, a roughly 1,500-foot asteroid due to pass within about 20,000 miles in 2029, underscores the stakes even as NASA's proposed budget cuts would leave its own spacecraft arriving after the closest approach.

Sources

abcnews.com10h ago

Scientists Urge More Telescopes for Planetary Defense on 10th Asteroid Day

stariongroup.eu19h ago

Spotlighting planetary defence on International Asteroid Day 2026 - Starion

Instagram10h ago

In the decade since the U.N. established International Asteroid Day, scientists say Earth is better prepared to defend itself from an asteroid impact, but experts also warn that more needs to be

4 Sources

With NASA canceling a key mission, are other nations now leading the race to defend Earth from asteroids?

After proving we can deflect asteroids, why is our planet still largely blind to incoming cosmic threats?

Why did NASA cancel its mission to the 'God of Chaos' asteroid before its historic 2029 Earth flyby?

Planetary Defense 2026: Closing the Asteroid Detection Gap and the Urgent Need for Global Action

Overview

By 2026, global planetary defense has made major progress in cataloging over 40,000 near-Earth asteroids, thanks to NASA’s Asteroid Survey Program and a network of advanced observatories. These technologies help scientists detect both harmless and hazardous asteroids. However, Earth is still at risk from mid-size asteroids that remain undetected, creating a significant cumulative threat. This ongoing vulnerability highlights the need for continued investment in early detection and international cooperation. While much has been achieved in tracking known objects, the unseen danger from uncataloged asteroids means planetary defense efforts must remain vigilant and proactive.

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