STATION 03 · ASTROMETRICS DOSSIER CRUISE

OSIRIS-APEX

NASA / University of Arizona • Target: Asteroid (99942) Apophis Rendezvous • In flight: 9y 11m (Launched Sep 8, 2016)

REAL-TIME ASTROMETRICS CONSOLE

FRAME: HELIOCENTRIC / J2000

Heliocentric Distance 1.15000 AU 172,037,551 km

Round-Trip Light Time (RTLT) 19m 08s One-Way Delay: 09m 34s

Spacecraft Velocity 28.90 km/s 104,040 km/h heliocentric

Trajectory Profile Heliocentric transfer orbit to intersect asteroid Apophis in 2029 Phase: Apophis Transit Cruise

01 Mission Architecture & Scientific Objectives

After successfully sampling asteroid Bennu and releasing its sample return capsule back to Earth in September 2023, the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft was renamed OSIRIS-APEX (Apophis Explorer). It is now en route to rendezvous with potentially hazardous asteroid (99942) Apophis immediately following its historic ultra-close 32,000 km Earth flyby on April 13, 2029.

02 Scientific Instrument Payload

Sensor	Subsystem	Scientific Measurement Function	State
OCAMS	OSIRIS-REx Camera Suite	PolyCam, MapCam, and SamCam for millimeter surface imaging.	Active
OVIRS	Visible & Infrared Spectrometer	Spectral composition, hydration, and mineral mapping.	Active
OTES	Thermal Emission Spectrometer	Measures thermal inertia and mineral emission bands.	Active

03 Historical Astrometric Chronology

2016

Launch from Cape Canaveral.

2020

Successful Touch-And-Go (TAG) sample collection on Bennu.

2023

Delivered Bennu asteroid capsule to Earth; renamed OSIRIS-APEX.

2026

Inner Solar System perihelion burns tightening Apophis trajectory.

2029

Rendezvous with Apophis days after its historic close Earth pass.