NASA launches mission to intercept ‘God of Chaos’ asteroid as it nears Earth’s orb

Apophis, ‘God of Chaos’ asteroid

Named after an ancient Egyptian deity, Apophis is a 1,000-foot-wide asteroid. It was first discovered in 2004 and is expected to fly by Earth on April 13, 2029. During that time, OSIRIS will intercept the asteroid to study any changes made by its earthly encounter. According to scientists, such an asteroid passes by Earth every 7,500 years.