An Australian company is planning an ambitious mission to the asteroid Apophis, aiming to launch its own dedicated flyby probe. This initiative seeks to join international scientific efforts studying the rare celestial event when the space rock makes its close approach to Earth in 2029.
Sydney-based HEO Robotics, a provider of commercial satellite-to-satellite imagery, is aiming to contribute to the extensive international observation efforts planned for asteroid Apophis. As the colossal 1,115-foot-wide (340-meter) space rock makes its highly anticipated close pass by Earth in April 2029, the company proposes an innovative approach: purchasing an aging satellite from geostationary orbit and repurposing its residual fuel for a dedicated mission to study the asteroid up close.
Satellites in the geostationary (GEO) belt maintain orbits precisely 22,236 miles (35,786 kilometers) above the Earth’s equator. Typically, spacecraft nearing the end of their operational lifespan utilize their dwindling fuel reserves to ascend into a “graveyard orbit” positioned above the GEO belt, effectively clearing the path for active missions.
However, a new proposal from HEO seeks to repurpose one of these aging satellites. The company aims to acquire a mission-expired spacecraft and, with only a slight increase in fuel expenditure beyond what’s needed for a standard graveyard trip, guide it toward an unprecedented close encounter with the asteroid Apophis. This notable celestial body is scheduled to make a historic close approach to Earth, passing *within* the GEO belt itself, on Friday, April 13, 2029.
Despite its classification as a potentially hazardous asteroid, Apophis is expected to pass Earth in 2029 without incident, approaching within a remarkably close 5.9 Earth radii. Far from posing a threat, this extraordinary close encounter is instead being hailed by scientists as a priceless research opportunity. An asteroid of Apophis’s considerable size makes such a near pass, on average, only once every 7,500 years. This rare celestial event provides an unparalleled chance for researchers to meticulously study how an asteroid is influenced by a planet’s gravitational forces during a close flyby.
HEO will not be alone in its endeavor to study asteroid Apophis during its unique close flyby. A global contingent of space agencies is preparing missions to observe the celestial body. NASA is readying its OSIRIS-APEX mission, the European Space Agency is developing RAMSES, and Japan will launch DESTINY+.
These probes are designed for extensive study of Apophis before, during, and after its unprecedented approach. This significant celestial event is projected to be visible to an astonishing 2 billion people worldwide, with China also potentially deploying a probe to join the international observation effort.
This strategic initiative marks a significant step in HEO’s ambitious expansion plans. The company is set to evolve beyond its current focus on providing imagery of non-Earth objects from its vantage point in low Earth orbit. HEO’s ultimate goal is to establish a capability for delivering on-demand visual data from across the entire solar system.
HEO co-founder and chief executive Will Crowe, speaking to Space.com at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Sydney in early October, expressed reservations about the prevailing focus on asteroid Apophis. Crowe noted that Apophis is not considered the most accessible or straightforward celestial body for a mission. He further suggested that current approaches to asteroid exploration demonstrate a limited scope of vision, confirming that HEO is already directing its attention toward a variety of other asteroids for future study.
Initial efforts are centered on tracking objects currently navigating the Earth-moon system, a representative confirmed. However, the potential for expansion is vast, with plans to extend these capabilities to encompass the entire asteroid belt and numerous other distinct asteroid classifications. “It should be possible,” he emphasized, expressing confidence in the system’s ultimate scalability.
