NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Mission has made significant strides in exploring asteroid 101955 Bennu and collecting samples for return to Earth. While the mission itself is groundbreaking, the importance of planetary sample return missions can be traced back to the Apollo era when astronauts collected lunar rock samples. These samples provide invaluable insights into the formation and evolution of our solar system.
Asteroid Bennu was chosen for the OSIRIS-REx mission due to its strategic significance. It is a carbonaceous asteroid, meaning it contains a high amount of carbon, and its material is preserved in an unaltered condition. By studying samples from Bennu, scientists can gain a deeper understanding of pristine carbon in our solar system and its potential role in the origin of life on Earth.
One of the key advantages of a planned robotic mission to bring back samples is that the source of the material is known. This allows for correlation with previous studies of unknown samples and remote observations of the asteroid. By directly analyzing collected samples, scientists can validate and enhance our knowledge of the solar system’s composition.
The OSIRIS-REx mission follows in the footsteps of previous asteroid sample return missions, such as Japan’s Hayabusa 1 and Hayabusa 2 missions. These missions have already yielded important discoveries about the oldest known materials in our solar system.
Overall, the OSIRIS-REx mission represents a significant step forward in our quest to unravel the mysteries of our solar system’s origins. The samples collected from Bennu will provide researchers with a wealth of information and potentially reshape our understanding of the history of life on Earth.
FAQ:
Q: What does OSIRIS-REx stand for?
A: OSIRIS-REx is short for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security – Regolith Explorer.
Q: Why was asteroid Bennu chosen for the mission?
A: Bennu was chosen due to its strategic significance as a carbonaceous asteroid with preserved, unaltered material.
Q: How does studying asteroid samples contribute to our understanding of the origin of life on Earth?
A: By studying pristine carbon in our solar system through asteroid samples, scientists can gain insights into the potential role asteroids may have played in the origin of life on Earth.
Q: Are there any previous asteroid sample return missions?
A: Yes, missions like Japan’s Hayabusa 1 and Hayabusa 2 have successfully returned samples from asteroids Itokawa and Ryugu, respectively, leading to important discoveries about the oldest materials in our solar system.
Q: What will the collected samples from Bennu be used for?
A: The collected samples will be analyzed to enhance our understanding of the composition and formation of our solar system, as well as the potential role of asteroids in the origin of life on Earth.
New Insights into NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Mission .
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