Short Article

28-10-2023 | 18:07 PM

NASA’S FIRST ASTEROID SAMPLES LAND ON EARTH

NASA capsule carrying first asteroid samples from Bennu lands on Earth.The Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification and Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft released the sample from the Bennu asteroid in the Utah desert of the USA.

Key Highlights: 

• The sample containing pebbles and dust represent the biggest haul from beyond the moon that will help scientists to understand better about the Earth’s evolution and our solar system. Along with this, it will help scientists to investigate how planets formed and how life began.
• It has been estimated that the material of Bennu are so old, it may contain organic molecules similar to those that could have been involved with the start of life on Earth.
• Japan is the only other country to bring back asteroid samples.A sample from the Asteroid Ryugu, having a rich complement of organic molecules is bought by Japan’s Hayabusa2 spacecraft.
• After dropping off the sample, the Osiris-Rex spacecraft began a new mission as OSIRIS-Apophis Explorer (OSIRIS-APEX) and headed toward an encounter with asteroid Apophis in 2029.

BENNU ASTEROID

• It was discovered in 1999 which islikely broken off from a much larger carbon-rich asteroid about 700 million to 2 billion years ago. It has seen more than 4.5 billion years of history.
• It likely formed in the Main Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter, and has drifted much closer to Earth since then.
• It is a small, near-Earth asteroid that passes close to Earth about every six years.