TUCSON, USA, Nov 6, 2026 - This is the third entry in the 99942 Apophis On the News! series. There are 127 weeks remaining until the asteroid's 13 April 2029 close pass of Earth. Asteroid 99942 Apophis is roughly 375 metres across.^[1] It will pass 31600 km from Earth's surface on that date.^[2] This pass is closer than the orbit of many geosynchronous satellites.^[3] NASA confirms no Earth impact from Apophis is possible for at least 100 years.^[4] ESA removed the asteroid from its official risk list on 26 March 2021.^[5] No subsequent orbit measurements have altered this conclusion. No new public claims about Apophis requiring verification were filed this week. All published orbit calculations remain consistent with a safe pass. Impact Insight. A potentially hazardous asteroid is an object large enough to cause regional damage if it were to strike Earth. Apophis was the most closely tracked asteroid of concern for nearly two decades. The 2029 flyby will allow planetary defence teams to validate tracking systems, observe asteroid surface characteristics, and test rendezvous mission operations under real flyby conditions.