This mosaic of Bennu was created using observations made by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft that was in … [+]
NASA is gearing up for a historic event as samples from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu are set to arrive on our planet.
The arrival is scheduled for Sunday, September 24, when a capsule the size of the Empire State Building will parachute into the Utah desert carrying samples of Bennu, a massive asteroid measuring 1,640-feet-wide (500 meters).
In anticipation of this momentous occasion, NASA has even released a trailer on YouTube to share the excitement with the public.
Why NASA Needs An Asteroid Sample
This mission is a remarkable opportunity for scientists to obtain pristine examples of the early solar system and gain insights into its composition.
Researchers will be studying the sample to analyze sugars, water, and organic chemicals in order to understand the origins of the solar system, the beginnings of life, and potentially discover molecular precursors to life and the source of water on Earth.
Meet Asteroid Bennu
The asteroid Bennu, which was first discovered in 1999, orbits the sun every 1.2 Earth-years. Its orbit intersects with Earth’s and there is a 1-in-1,800 chance of it impacting our planet between 2178 and 2290. The highest risk occurs on September 24, 2182, according to a paper published in 2021 using data from the OSIRIS-REx mission.
NASA’s First ‘Sample Return’ Mission
The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft collected at least 0.12 lbs./60g (and potentially up to 4.4 lbs./2 kg) of material on October 20, 2020, while being over 200 million miles (321 million km) from Earth. The collection was documented in a video composed of 82 images, capturing the brief six-second touch down on Bennu’s surface. Since then, the spacecraft began its journey back to Earth.
This marks NASA’s first-ever sample return mission, apart from the moon landings, which has thus far been accomplished only by Japan’s Hayabusa and Hayabusa2 missions, which collected samples from asteroids Itokawa in 2010 and Ryugu in 2020, respectively.
Recovery teams participate in field rehearsals in preparation for the retrieval of the sample return … [+]
Where And When The Capsule Will Land
The landing site for the capsule is the Utah Test and Training Range, located on the southern side of Interstate 80 west of Salt Lake City, Utah.
At 7:42 a.m. PDT, the capsule is expected to enter Earth’s atmosphere. Once it has safely landed and been secured for transport, it will be flown by helicopter to a temporary clean room at the nearby U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground.
From there, the capsule will make its way to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, where the sample will be carefully documented, divided, and distributed to scientists worldwide for extensive analysis that may extend over several decades.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
