Scientists from a private space company are planning a controversial yet daring move to land on a dangerous asteroid as it leaps past Earth in three years’ time.

The space rock, dubbed Apophis, was first discovered in 2004 and is expected to make a close pass by Earth in 2029.

Previous calculations suggested a 2.7 percent chance of the asteroid colliding with Earth and potentially destroying an area nearly the size of a city.

However, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) scientists ruled out the potential risk of any impact for the foreseeable future.

The United States (U.S.)-based company ExLabs announced ambitious plans to send two landers to attempt a touchdown on the space rock as it passes nearly 32,000km from Earth.

Co-founder and Chief Science Officer Miguel Pascual said: “The main goal is to gain images from the surface of the asteroid,” adding, “There’s some really exciting science that can happen.”

ExLabs said that its mothership spacecraft, scheduled for launch in 2028, will carry 10 spacecraft, including two landers.

The space company plans to deploy a lander the size of a shoe box, which will continue taking pictures as it descends at a speed of 10 centimeters per second. The lander is expected to attempt a touchdown within an hour of deployment.

For context, a lander is a type of spacecraft designed to descend from orbit, pass through an atmosphere (if present), and make a soft, controlled landing on the surface of a celestial body.

To ensure Earth’s safety and no change in the asteroid’s orbit, ExLabs plans to execute the mission a week after Apophis’s flyby of Earth.

Prince William and Princess Kate’s office released a heartwarming video of the future monarch as he honoured loved ones on Tuesday during the investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle.

On Tuesday, March 24, the Palace issued update on the event hours after the Prince and Princess of Wales’ trusted nanny received a special royal honour from William.

The video, shared on the Prince and Princess of Wales’ official Instagram account, shows William honouring the loyal companions. 

The video was captioned: “Loved ones receiving honours at Windsor Castle.”

Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis’ lifelong nanny, Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo, was rewarded with the silver Royal Victorian Medal for her loyalty and service to the Waleses.

TV writer Sir Roy Clarke and tennis umpire James Keothavong were also  among the honourees of Tuesday’s investiture ceremony at the castle.

Zayn Malik has surprised fans by sharing a short video that hints at new music.

The singer, who has won millions of hearts all over the world, posted the clip without much detail, but his caption, “Sideways …soon,” was enough to get everyone talking.

In the video, a small part of the track can be heard, giving a soft and emotional vibe that many fans instantly connected with.

Even though it is just a short preview, people quickly started reacting online, trying to guess what he is planning next.

All of his fans flooded social media with excitement, with many saying that they have been waiting a long time for new music from him.

Some also shared how the sound already feels like his classic style, which they have missed.

Zayn has always kept things low key when it comes to releases and this time also he did not share much information.

There is no official confirmation yet about the song name or release date, which made fans even more curious.

With just one short clip, Zayn has managed to create a lot of buzz and now, fans are eagerly waiting to see what he drops next and when the full track will finally be out.