Berlin, May 07, 2026 – Yesterday the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) formalised their cooperation through the signature of a Memorandum of Cooperation and a dedicated agreement for the Ramses (Rapid Apophis Mission for Space Safety) mission. The event took place at the Italian Embassy in Berlin, in partnership with the Italian Space Agency (ASI), following ESA’s designation of OHB Italia as prime contractor for the programme. We are proud to highlight that, in this role, the company will lead the spacecraft’s design, integration and delivery, reinforcing Italy’s strategic contribution to Europe’s Space Safety initiatives and to global planetary defence efforts.
The agreements were signed by ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher and JAXA President Hiroshi Yamakawa. The ceremony was attended by Roberto Aceti, Managing Director of OHB Italia and Marco Fuchs, CEO of OHB SE and President of OHB Italia SpA, alongside representatives from European and Japanese institutions, research organisations and industry, underlining the growing importance of international cooperation in the field of space safety.
The event further emphasised the strength of European industrial capabilities and Europe’s solid heritage in asteroid exploration missions, including OHB SE’s key contributions to the Hera mission, which enabled the consolidation of critical expertise in asteroid deflection technologies under extremely demanding schedules.
Ramses will represent the first concrete outcome of the renewed cooperation between ESA and JAXA. From a distance of approximately 1 km, the probe will monitor in real time how asteroid Apophis changes during its close flyby of Earth, providing a unique “before and after” scientific perspective and improving understanding of asteroid dynamics.
This mission is distinctive in terms of both timeline and objectives. The launch is scheduled for April 2028, with a rendezvous with Apophis planned for February 2029, approximately two months before its close approach to Earth. The spacecraft will accompany the asteroid until August 2029, in order to observe in detail how Earth’s tidal forces modify its shape, rotation, orbit and surface characteristics.
“Planetary defence is a global responsibility. Today’s signatures demonstrate how international cooperation, technical excellence and industrial leadership come together to deliver real impact.” – stated Roberto Aceti, Managing Director of OHB Italia SpA – “If one day an asteroid were to pose a real threat to Earth, we must be ready to organise a rapid-response mission to deflect it. Apophis offers a unique opportunity to prepare by testing technologies, decision-making processes and operational capabilities in a real-world scenario.”
