This mission aims to rendezvous with the asteroid 99942 Apophis. The mission will accompany it during its relatively close – but non-threatening – flyby of Earth. This will occur on April 13, 2029. ESA is providing €4.7 million in funding
Tyvak – specifically, Tyvak International, the Italian corporate entity of the organisation – will lead the development. It will involve a consortium of companies from ESA Member States to create a hybrid CubeSat.
It will build on its work for ESA’s Hera mission, where it developed the Milani CubeSat and the new satellite will combine Milani’s platform and dust analyser with the low-frequency radar instrument from the Juventas CubeSat.
This dust analyser will study material potentially released from Apophis’s surface due to phenomena like landslides, while the radar will investigate the asteroid’s internal structure, says Tyvak.
“By utilising existing technologies, this CubeSat will bring onboard the Ramses mission trusted European industrial and research partners that have demonstrated their ability to deliver high-quality mission elements under a tight deadline,” said Tyvak International’s CEO, Fabio Nichele.
“Our commitment to undertake and exceed advanced space mission challenges, and flawlessly deliver miniaturised space system technologies, is pushing the boundaries of the European planetary defense to unrivaled excellence. We are thrilled to honor the trust of the Agency in such a complex and historical journey.”
Observation of the asteroid will take place before, during, and after its flyby. It will provide important data for “planetary defense strategies” beleives ESA, as well as increasing scientific understanding of such asteroids.
Tyvak International is based in Turin. And Tyvak itself is a subsidiary of Terran Orbital.
See also: ESA awards contract to service Space Rider robotic laboratory
