Tyvak International is honored to announce its selection by the European Space Agency (ESA) to lead the development of the first CubeSat for the Rapid Apophis Mission for Space Safety (Ramses). This mission aims to rendezvous with the asteroid 99942 Apophis and accompany it during its exceptionally close, yet safe, flyby of Earth on April 13, 2029.
Apophis, approximately 375 meters in diameter, will pass within 32,000 kilometers of Earth’s surface, an event visible to around two billion people across Europe, Africa, and parts of Asia. While posing no threat, this rare phenomenon offers a unique opportunity for scientific observation and planetary defense research.
Building on our experience from ESA’s Hera mission, where we developed the Milani CubeSat, Tyvak International will lead a consortium of companies from various ESA Member States to create a hybrid CubeSat. This innovative satellite will combine Milani’s platform and dust analyzer with the low-frequency radar instrument from the Juventas CubeSat. The dust analyzer will study material potentially released from Apophis’s surface due to phenomena like landslides, while the radar will investigate the asteroid’s internal structure.
The project has been awarded €4.7 million from the funding allocated to Ramses mission preparations in July 2024. Our CEO, Fabio Nichele, expressed enthusiasm about this endeavor:
“By utilizing 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. Our commitment to undertake and exceed advanced space mission challenges, and flawlessly deliver miniaturized 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.”
The Ramses mission is on track for a planned launch in April 2028, aiming to arrive at Apophis in February 2029, two months before its close approach to Earth. This timeline ensures comprehensive observation of the asteroid before, during, and after its flyby, providing invaluable data for planetary defense strategies and scientific understanding of such celestial bodies.
Tyvak International is committed to advancing space exploration and contributing to global efforts in planetary defense. We look forward to collaborating with ESA and our partners on the Ramses mission to unlock new insights into asteroid behavior and Earth’s safety.