Produced by: Tarun Mishra
Designed by: Mohsin Shaikh
NASA shared groundbreaking findings stemming from a meticulously executed mission called OSIRIS-REx, where a sample was scooped from the surface of the carbon-rich asteroid Bennu, situated approximately 60 million miles away from the Earth
In 2020, the OSIRIS-REx mission successfully gathered rock and dust from the surface of Bennu. The precious cargo, encapsulated in a secure capsule, safely returned to Earth on September 24, 2023 and underwent a thorough analysis by space scientists
NASA on Wednesday said that within the retrieved 4.5-billion-year-old asteroid sample, scientists identified a wealth of water and carbon. ORISI-REx mission has delivered the largest-ever haul of carbon-rich asteroid materials to Earth. These fundamental building blocks, crucial for Earth's formation, further bolstered the hypothesis of life's extraterrestrial origins among the scientists
NASA's choice of Bennu as the mission target was founded on the belief that asteroids like it could have played a significant role in transporting organic molecules and water to Earth through ancient collisions. Bennu's orbit, intersecting with Earth's, facilitated the mission's feasibility
Distinguishing itself from prior missions, OSIRIS-REx provided an extensive amount of material, estimated at 250 grams (half a pound). This quantity far surpassed Japan's Hayabusa2 mission, which brought back mere 5.4 grams of asteroid material
Researchers speculated that Bennu's formation resulted from the remnants of a much larger asteroid within the asteroid belt, following a colossal collision that transpired around one to two billion years ago
Spacecraft data unveiled intriguing details about Bennu's surface; the particles that composed it were so sparsely packed that an individual stepping onto the surface might experience a sensation similar to sinking into a pit filled with plastic balls
Over the next two years, researchers will meticulously examine asteroid rocks and soil within a specialised clean room situated at the Johnson Space Center. Furthermore, the sample will undergo division and distribution to laboratories worldwide, including those affiliated with the Canadian Space Agency and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency, who were partners in the OSIRIS-REx mission. Notably, approximately 70% of the sample will be preserved in pristine condition for the benefit of future generations
A comprehensive understanding of Bennu's composition assumed particular significance. Although the likelihood of Bennu impacting Earth is relatively low, there is still a possibility of collision between the mid-2100s and 2300. NASA is diligently working to formulate strategies for planetary defence against such potential threats