Bennu asteroid sample rich in carbon, water: NASA
First-ever rock sample from asteroid Bennu delivered on Earth by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission
image for illustrative purpose
Washington: The first-ever rock sample from asteroid Bennu delivered on Earth by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission has a high-carbon content and water -- signalling the building blocks of life, according to initial studies.
About 8.8 ounces of rocky material collected from the surface of the asteroid Bennu in 2020 was brought to Earth by the OSIRIS-REx (short for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer) in late September.
The 4.5-billion-year-old asteroid Bennu sample was showcased by NASA on Wednesday from its Johnson Space Center in Houston for the first time since it landed.
“The OSIRIS-REx sample is the biggest carbon-rich asteroid sample ever delivered to Earth and will help scientists investigate the origins of life on our own planet for generations to come,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, in a statement.
“As we peer into the ancient secrets preserved within the dust and rocks of asteroid Bennu, we are unlocking a time capsule that offers us profound insights into the origins of our solar system,” added Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal investigator, University of Arizona, Tucson.
The goal of the OSIRIS-REx sample collection was 60 grams of asteroid material.
