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While on a quest to figure out “How will touching an asteroid benefit us?” I read a lot about the OSIRIS - REx mission and honestly I am so in awe with what humans are capable of doing with the tools of Science and technology!!
Here is a little summary of what I read!
Here is a little summary of what I read!
What are asteroids?
Asteroids are rocky worlds revolving around the sun that are too small to be called planets.
Since they formed at the same time as other objects in our solar system, asteroids can give scientists a lot of information about our origin.
Since they formed at the same time as other objects in our solar system, asteroids can give scientists a lot of information about our origin.
Why Bennu?
Bennu is like a fossil from a time in the solar system before life or Earth even formed.
The asteroid was discovered in 1999 and was named after an Egyptian deity. Since, Bennu is a near earth asteroid, it is easily accessible for research.
The asteroid was discovered in 1999 and was named after an Egyptian deity. Since, Bennu is a near earth asteroid, it is easily accessible for research.
A little about the Mission!
NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft mission, launched on Sept. 8, 2016, was a mission designed to retrieve a sample of an asteroid Bennu and return it to Earth for further study. The spacecraft reached Bennu in 2018 and studied the surface of the asteroid for 2 years.
On 20 October 2020, OSIRIS-Rex touched Bennu. NASA confirmed that the sampler has made contact and crushed some of the rocks on the surface of the asteroid to get small enough particles to be collected as samples.
What questions will these samples answer??
If the building blocks of DNA are found in samples from Bennu, it will show that they were formed early in the solar system and preserved in carbon-rich asteroids. They could have been delivered to Earth, Mars, Europa, Titan and all these other places we're looking for life.
It would mean the seeds of life were not unique to the Earth, so our search for life in the solar system gets more exciting.
If we don't find them on Bennu, it might mean that those life-seeding molecules formed in Earth's early environment.
These things might be of interest to the Scientific community. But how does this mission help our society?
Well it turns out...
Well it turns out...
Bennu is a potentially hazardous asteroid. There is 1 in 2,700 chance that Bennu will impact Earth in 150 years.
Data about the asteroid, would be valuable to prepare us for future dangers.
This is like a gift to the future.
Data about the asteroid, would be valuable to prepare us for future dangers.
This is like a gift to the future.
Bennu’s close proximity from the Earth and its richness in water, could lead it to becoming a gas station in space for the future missions.
Since, we can break water into liquid oxygen and hydrogen to make rocket fuel.
Since, we can break water into liquid oxygen and hydrogen to make rocket fuel.
How difficult was the task?
“For some perspective: The next time you park your car in front of your house or in front of a coffee shop and walk inside, think about the challenge of navigating OSIRIS-REx into one of these spots from 200 million miles away."
Mike Moreau, OSIRIS-REx deputy project manager
Mike Moreau, OSIRIS-REx deputy project manager
It currently takes more than 18 minutes for commands to travel from Earth to OSIRIS-REx, so Moreau and his colleagues cannot control the probe in real time. The craft therefore performed today's operation autonomously.
How INSANE is all of this!!?
How INSANE is all of this!!?
This historic mission was 12 years in the making and rested on a critical 16 second period where the spacecraft performed a delicate autonomous manoeuvre to grab its payload, that scientists hope will help us bring a baby picture of our solar system!!
Congratulations to the @OSIRISREx team and honestly, congratulations to every single human out there
who’s contribution has given people one more day filled with amazement and joy!
Thank you for bringing the universe so closer to our hearts
who’s contribution has given people one more day filled with amazement and joy!
Thank you for bringing the universe so closer to our hearts
Source : https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-s-osiris-rex-spacecraft-successfully-touches-asteroid
OSIRIS-RExOfficial site: https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-s-osiris-rex-spacecraft-successfully-touches-asteroid
I forgot to mention that on 24 September 2023, the OSIRIS-REx return capsule is scheduled to re-enter Earth's atmosphere and land under a parachute at the Air Force's Utah Test and Training Range.
:))
:))
