NASA’s Osiris-Rex spacecraft Reached asteroid Bennu
Bennu is a Carbon-rich asteroid ,
it could hold evidence dating back to the beginning of our solar system 4.5 billion years ago, is an astronomical time capsule.
After two-year a NASA spacecraft arrived on December 3 at the ancient asteroid Bennu
The robotic explorer Osiris-Rex is within 19 km of the diamond-shaped space rock.
It will get even closer in the days ahead and go into orbit around Bennu on Dec. 31.
No spacecraft has ever orbited such a small cosmic body.
It is the first U.S. attempt to gather asteroid samples for return to Earth, something only Japan has accomplished so far.
Bennu is some 122 million km away from earth
Lockheed Martin in Littleton, Colorado company built the spacecraft
Bennu is estimated to be just over 1,600 feet (500 m) across.
Researchers will provide a more precise description at a scientific meeting on December 10 in Washington.
the spacecraft will follow the asteroid for a year
it will return to Earth in 2023.
A Japanese spacecraft, has been hanging out at another near-Earth asteroid since June, also for samples
It is Japan’s second asteroid mission.
it is named Ryugu and about double the size of Bennu.
The $800 million Osiris-Rex mission began with a 2016 launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Both the spacecraft and asteroid’s names come from Egyptian mythology.
Osiris is the god of the afterlife, while Bennu represents the heron and creation.
Osiris-Rex is a NASA acronym for origins, spectral interpretation, resource identification, security-regolith explorer.
Bennu is a Carbon-rich asteroid ,
it could hold evidence dating back to the beginning of our solar system 4.5 billion years ago, is an astronomical time capsule.
After two-year a NASA spacecraft arrived on December 3 at the ancient asteroid Bennu
The robotic explorer Osiris-Rex is within 19 km of the diamond-shaped space rock.
It will get even closer in the days ahead and go into orbit around Bennu on Dec. 31.
No spacecraft has ever orbited such a small cosmic body.
It is the first U.S. attempt to gather asteroid samples for return to Earth, something only Japan has accomplished so far.
Bennu is some 122 million km away from earth
Lockheed Martin in Littleton, Colorado company built the spacecraft
Bennu is estimated to be just over 1,600 feet (500 m) across.
Researchers will provide a more precise description at a scientific meeting on December 10 in Washington.
the spacecraft will follow the asteroid for a year
it will return to Earth in 2023.
A Japanese spacecraft, has been hanging out at another near-Earth asteroid since June, also for samples
It is Japan’s second asteroid mission.
it is named Ryugu and about double the size of Bennu.
The $800 million Osiris-Rex mission began with a 2016 launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Both the spacecraft and asteroid’s names come from Egyptian mythology.
Osiris is the god of the afterlife, while Bennu represents the heron and creation.
Osiris-Rex is a NASA acronym for origins, spectral interpretation, resource identification, security-regolith explorer.
