ESA and JAXA sign planetary defence and Ramses mission agreements
Updated
Updated · European Space Agency · May 7
ESA and JAXA sign planetary defence and Ramses mission agreements
12 articles · Updated · European Space Agency · May 7
Signed in Berlin on 7 May, the deal covers ESA’s 2028 Ramses mission to 375-metre Apophis, which will pass 32,000km from Earth in April 2029.
JAXA will provide solar arrays, an infrared imager and an H3 launch, while ESA leads spacecraft design, integration and operations.
The partnership builds on a 2024 joint statement and earlier cooperation including Hera, aiming to improve asteroid tracking, characterisation and future deflection capabilities despite no Apophis impact risk.
With multiple probes targeting Apophis, what secrets will this joint observation reveal about stopping a future killer asteroid?
Beyond DART's success, what is the next great technological leap required to truly secure Earth from cosmic impact?
Ramses Mission and the 2029 Apophis Flyby: Accelerating International Planetary Defense
Overview
On May 7, 2026, ESA and JAXA signed a cooperation agreement in Berlin, launching the Ramses mission to study asteroid Apophis ahead of its close Earth flyby in April 2029. OHB Italia leads spacecraft development, which builds on ESA's Hera mission heritage and includes JAXA's advanced solar arrays and instruments. Ramses will deploy CubeSats to gather detailed data on Apophis's shape, rotation, and internal structure, overcoming challenges posed by the asteroid's weak gravity and irregular surface. This international effort aims to improve asteroid deflection models and strengthen global planetary defense, setting a new standard for collaboration and rapid mission development.