'A world with water': NASA scientists race to identify asteroid Bennu's planet of origin
Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
Surprising Insights from Bennu Sample
Early analysis of the asteroid Bennu sample, returned by NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission, offers surprising insights into the early solar system and the origins of life on Earth.
Sample Collection and Delivery
The 121.6-gram sample was collected in 2020 and delivered to Earth in 2023, proving to be a valuable source of information for scientists.
Rich in Essential Components
Bennu's dust is rich in carbon, nitrogen, and organic compounds, which are essential components for life, as found by the OSIRIS-REx Sample Analysis Team.
Composition of Clay Minerals
The sample is dominated by clay minerals, particularly serpentine, similar to the type of rock found at mid-ocean ridges on Earth.
Discovery of Magnesium-Sodium Phosphate
The most intriguing discovery is the presence of magnesium-sodium phosphate, a mineral not detected by the spacecraft's remote sensing while at Bennu, suggesting a possible origin from a small, primitive ocean world.
Unprecedented Purity and Grain Size
The phosphate's purity and grain size are unprecedented in any meteorite sample, distinguishing it from similar findings in other asteroid samples.
Credit : NASA
Watery Past Indicated
Dante Lauretta, principal investigator for OSIRIS-REx, noted that the presence and state of phosphates, along with other elements and compounds, suggest a watery past for Bennu, potentially indicating it was once part of a wetter world.
Primitive Nature and Solar System Formation
The sample's composition closely resembles that of the Sun, indicating its primitive nature and providing insights into the early solar system's formation over 4.5 billion years ago.
Mission Success and Future Analysis
Jason Dworkin, OSIRIS-REx project scientist, emphasized the mission's success in providing a large pristine asteroid sample rich in nitrogen and carbon. Scientists expect further analysis to reveal more secrets about the solar system's origins and the emergence of life on Earth.
Credit : NASA