OSIRIS-APEX's Historic Solar Encounter en Route to Asteroid Apophis
NASA's OSIRIS-APEX spacecraft, on its extended mission after successfully returning samples from asteroid Bennu, is preparing for its first close solar encounter as it heads towards the asteroid Apophis. The spacecraft will pass within 46.5 million miles of the sun's surface, closer than it was designed to operate, and the mission team is adjusting the probe's solar panels to protect its sensitive instruments from radiation. OSIRIS-APEX will make multiple passes near the sun before encountering Apophis in April 2029, providing scientists with valuable data about the asteroid's structure and composition.