AS DR. THOMAS HORN’S “THE MESSENGER AKA APOPHIS AKA WORMWOOD” RACES TOWARD EARTH AND U.S. SPACE AGENCIES SMOKESCREEN TRUE DANGER… NASA Wants To Send A Probe To Asteroid Apophis Before It’s (Prophetic?) Arrival In 2029 NASA’s Small Bodies Assessment Group wants the agency to send spacecraft to visit the asteroid Apophis before it makes a close approach to Earth in 2029. Apophis, also known as asteroid 99942, was once thought to be on a potential collision course with Earth. The near-Earth object is estimated to be about 1,100 feet (340 meters) and could cause serious damage were it to impact our planet. Now however this ancient piece of the early solar system is of great scientific interest. OSIRIS-REx, which collected material from asteroid Bennu in 2020 and is set to deliver the samples to Earth on Sept. 24, is due to embark on an extended mission to Apophis, becoming OSIRIS-APEX (OSIRIS-Apophis Explorer). It will however slip into orbit around the asteroid after the close approach, and the Small Bodies Assessment Group (SBAG) wants to get an up close look beforehand too… https://www.space.com/nasa-asteroid-apophis-approach-earth