In 2029, an asteroid larger than the Eiffel Tower, known as 99942 Apophis, will pass near Earth, an event that previously sparked fears of a potential catastrophic collision.

Now, scientists aim to study Apophis closely during its approach to enhance our planetary defense systems.

The European Space Agency (ESA) has funded the Rapid Apophis Mission for Security and Safety (RAMSES), which will deploy a spacecraft to gather data on the asteroid’s size, shape, mass, spin, composition, internal structure, and orbit.

This mission will also observe changes in Apophis as it passes within 20,000 miles (32,000 km) of Earth on April 13, 2029, The Guardian has reported.

Written by B.C. Begley