NASA’s Asteroid Treasure Returns to Earth After Epic Space Journey
After an astonishing seven-year space odyssey spanning almost 4 billion miles, a capsule filled with precious asteroid samples is on its way back to Earth. This exciting journey is expected to conclude this Sunday.
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Mission
In 2016, NASA launched the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft on an extraordinary mission. Its purpose? To collect material from an asteroid named Bennu, located far out in space. The spacecraft is officially known as Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security–Regolith Explorer.
The Precious Cargo
Contained within this capsule is nearly 9 ounces of rocks, dust, and dirt gathered from the surface of Bennu. The capsule will detach from OSIRIS-REx and is set to land inside the Defense Department’s Utah Test and Training Range. Waiting eagerly will be teams from NASA and Lockheed Martin, the creators of this amazing vehicle.
A Remarkable Achievement
To describe the precision of this landing, OSIRIS-REx Deputy Project Manager Michael Moreau said, “It’s like putting a dart board at one end of a basketball court and throwing the dart from the other end and getting a bull’s-eye. That’s what we do.”
Unlocking the Secrets of the Universe
This lengthy mission holds immense scientific value. It will provide insights into the formation of planets, the origins of life, and enhance our knowledge of asteroids that might come dangerously close to Earth. NASA states that the samples will offer a “window into the time when the Sun and planets were forming about 4.5 billion years ago.”
Protecting Earth’s Future
This mission also carries the potential to help safeguard Earth from a possible collision with Bennu. According to NASA, this asteroid, about the size of the Empire State Building, has a 1-in-2,700 chance of impacting Earth in the late 2100s.
A Journey of Patience
The journey of the NASA capsule has been a long and patient one. OSIRIS-REx arrived at Bennu in 2018, spending two years studying the asteroid from a close distance. After that, it made history with its landing on the asteroid’s surface in 2020.
A Record-Breaking Sample
During its brief touch-and-go mission on Bennu’s surface, OSIRIS-REx collected a sample that exceeded the mission’s requirement of two ounces, despite a minor hiccup involving a jammed door that led to some dust loss shortly after collection.
What Happens Next
Once the capsule reaches the desert, a dedicated NASA team will carefully transport the material to a clean room. From there, the Bennu material will make its way to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
A Gift to the World
A significant portion, approximately 70%, of the asteroid material will be preserved for future research. More than 200 scientists worldwide, along with NASA scientists, will have the opportunity to study the remaining portions.
International Collaboration
In a spirit of international collaboration, part of the sample will be shared with the Japanese Space Exploration Agency in exchange for samples collected by Japan’s Hayabusa spacecraft.
Continuing the Journey
Following this remarkable mission, OSIRIS-REx will continue its journey to study another asteroid called Apophis, named after a serpent of evil and chaos in ancient Egyptian mythology.
Exciting times lie ahead in the world of space exploration. Stay tuned for more incredible discoveries!