Chinese university-led mission to study asteroid Apophis during close encounter with Earth

spacenews.com Jun 19, 2026

Chinese university-led mission to study asteroid Apophis during close encounter with Earth

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Jun 19, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

A Chinese university-led mission, START, is set to join international efforts to study the asteroid Apophis during its close approach to Earth in 2029. The low-cost smallsat, developed by Tsinghua University, will launch in early 2028 and use its Xenon solar electric propulsion system to reach the asteroid. START will pass within 7 kilometers of Apophis, collecting data on the asteroid's surface and tracking changes driven by Earth's tidal forces. The mission is part of a larger effort to study the asteroid, with three flagship missions also converging on Apophis.

💡 Why It Matters

· China's growing interest in asteroid missions and planetary defense is evident in the START mission, which complements the observations from larger missions.
· By targeting the window of peak tidal-stress, START will deliver unique data that fills a niche in the scientific understanding of Apophis, a rare and unique planetary science opportunity.

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SpaceX launches new batch of US spy satellites from California

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spacenews.com · Jun 19

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Mu-g Technologies has acquired a Dassault Falcon 50 business jet to offer commercial parabolic flight services, providing brief periods of microgravity for research and technology demonstrations. The company aims to fill the gap left by Zero-G Corp., which has not flown commercially since last year. Mu-g plans to offer flights with a digital flight control system, ensuring a proper trajectory and microgravity parabolas of 20 to 25 seconds. The company expects to start flying commercially within six months, pending Federal Aviation Administration certification.

💡 The emergence of Mu-g Technologies as a parabolic flight service provider could alleviate a significant capacity gap in the industry, allowing researchers to access microgravity environments for their experiments. This development may also create new opportunities for collaboration between private companies and NASA, which is also investing in parabolic flight capabilities.

spacenews.com · Jun 19

NASA selects mission to study space weather interaction with Earth’s atmosphere

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💡 This shift in NASA's heliophysics division to outcome-driven research and strategic purpose themes may lead to more practical applications of space weather research, such as protecting the power grid and astronauts from its effects. By prioritizing meaningful outcomes, NASA aims to drive its research towards tangible benefits for society.

spacenews.com · Jun 19

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spacenews.com · Jun 19

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