Ramses spacecraft achieves first power-on milestone

The Ramses planetary defence spacecraft, a joint mission between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), has been powered on for the first time. This milestone marks a critical step in the mission's development schedule.

The spacecraft's core module, which houses the primary electronics, is currently being assembled at the OHB Italia cleanroom facility in Milan. During this process, engineers successfully applied power to the on-board computer and its integrated subsystems, including the Mass Memory Unit, the Power Conditioning and Distribution Unit, and various Remote Terminal Units.

Scheduled for launch in the spring of 2028 via a Japanese H-3 rocket, the mission aims to rendezvous with the asteroid Apophis. The spacecraft will study the cruise-liner-sized asteroid during its exceptionally close flyby of Earth on April 13, 2029.