Apophis is an asteroid discovered in 2004 and had caused great concern in the space research community. When it was found, astronomers calculated a small but significant probability (2.7%) that the asteroid will hit Earth in 2029. Another speculation is that the asteroid will only closely pass our planet in 2029 but will create a gravitational keyhole that would set off another 1 in 250,000 chance of a collision in 2036.

These findings had caused some panic especially in the Russian Federal Space Agency. The agency’s chief, Anatoly Perminov, has stated that a spacecraft may likely be sent to knock a large chunk of Apophis. He said that he would work out a plan with the US, European, and Chinese space agencies.

Perminov also said that a specially built spacecraft might be possible in the near future. Some scientists have also proposed to send a probe mission first to Apophis that asteroid may pose some danger to the mission.

Apophis has caused an alarm when it took the record for having the highest level in the Torina impact hazard scale in August 2006 by reaching level 4. However, it was quickly downgraded to level 0.