NASA Revives Asteroid Mission Canceled by Trump Administration
In a surprise move, NASA has reinstated the OSIRIS-APEX mission to explore an asteroid that will make a close flyby of Earth in 2029. The decision reverses the Trump administration's plan to cancel the mission as part of its budget blueprint released earlier this year.
"We were called for cancellation as part of the president's budget request, and we were reinstated and given a plan to move ahead in FY26 just two weeks ago," said Dani DellaGiustina, principal investigator for OSIRIS-APEX at the University of Arizona. "Our spacecraft appears happy and healthy."
The OSIRIS-APEX mission repurposes the spacecraft from NASA's OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission, which successfully deposited its extraterrestrial treasure back on Earth in 2023. The spacecraft was in good shape and still had plenty of fuel, so NASA decided to send it to explore another asteroid, named Apophis, due to pass about 20,000 miles (32,000 kilometers) from the Earth on April 13, 2029.
The mission's cancellation was part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to reduce funding for NASA science missions. In total, 19 operating NASA science missions were proposed for cancellation as part of the budget blueprint. However, not all of these missions have been reinstated.
"The decision to cancel or continue a mission is always a difficult one," said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. "We had to make tough choices given the constraints we faced, but we're glad that we could revisit and reinstate some of these important science missions."
The OSIRIS-APEX mission has significant implications for our understanding of asteroids and their potential impact on Earth. By studying Apophis up close, scientists hope to gain insights into the asteroid's composition, size, and shape.
"Asteroids are like cosmic time capsules," said DellaGiustina. "They contain information about the early solar system that we can't get from other sources."
The mission is also a testament to NASA's commitment to exploring space and pushing the boundaries of scientific knowledge.
"We're excited to continue this important research and contribute to our understanding of the universe," said Zurbuchen.
As for next steps, NASA plans to move forward with the OSIRIS-APEX mission in FY26. The agency will begin developing a detailed plan for the mission's execution, including launch preparations and spacecraft operations.
In the meantime, scientists are eager to continue their research on Apophis and explore its potential for future scientific discoveries.
"We're thrilled that the mission has been reinstated," said DellaGiustina. "We can't wait to see what we'll learn from this incredible asteroid."
*Reporting by Arstechnica.*
