NASA’s OSIRIS-APEX spacecraft has recently captured breathtaking images of Earth and the moon during its journey towards the asteroid Apophis. The spacecraft performed a high-speed slingshot maneuver on September 23, 2025, flying just 2,136 miles (3,438 kilometers) above Earth. These images not only showcase the planet’s swirling clouds and blue oceans but also highlight its continents from a unique perspective.
As OSIRIS-APEX departed Earth, it took a remarkable photograph of the moon from approximately 370,000 miles (595,000 kilometers) away. According to a statement from NASA, this maneuver serves as a critical step in the spacecraft’s mission to explore Apophis, a near-Earth asteroid that has garnered significant attention due to its potential risk to our planet.
Mission Overview and Objectives
OSIRIS-APEX is the successor to the successful OSIRIS-REx mission, which returned samples from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu in 2023. After completing that significant endeavor, NASA redirected the spacecraft towards Apophis, a stony, metal-rich asteroid that presents a stark contrast to Bennu’s carbon-rich surface. This mission is particularly important as Apophis is expected to make a close approach to Earth on April 13, 2029. During this encounter, the asteroid will pass closer than many satellites orbiting our planet, allowing scientists to study its response to Earth’s gravitational forces.
The recent flyby confirmed that OSIRIS-APEX’s cameras and instruments are functioning optimally after years in deep space. This milestone indicates that the spacecraft is on track for its interplanetary journey, which will ultimately lead to a historic exploration of Apophis.
Future Exploration and Scientific Goals
Once OSIRIS-APEX reaches Apophis, it is scheduled to orbit the asteroid for approximately 18 months. During this time, the spacecraft will map the asteroid’s surface, analyze its composition, and capture high-resolution images. Scientists are particularly interested in hovering a few meters above Apophis’s surface, using the probe’s thrusters to stir up dust and reveal hidden material.
The spacecraft’s images of Earth were taken with the MapCam imager, which utilizes red, green, and blue filters for enhanced detail. Additionally, the StowCam system is capable of capturing both still and video imagery, ensuring the safe storage of collected asteroid samples.
As OSIRIS-APEX continues its mission, it will provide trajectory updates and perform further instrument checks. The upcoming close encounter with Apophis promises to offer invaluable insights into the evolution of near-Earth asteroids and their interactions with planetary bodies. This research could enhance our understanding of how such bodies respond to gravitational forces, ultimately informing future planetary defense strategies.
The OSIRIS-APEX mission stands as a testament to NASA’s commitment to advancing our knowledge of the solar system while also ensuring the safety of our planet.
