Browsing: Asteroid Bennu

Asteroid Bennu, officially designated as 101955 Bennu, is a near-Earth carbonaceous asteroid discovered in 1999. Bennu is categorized as a potentially hazardous object due to its size—approximately 500 meters in diameter—and its proximity to Earth. The asteroid is particularly interesting to scientists because it is an ancient relic from the early solar system, holding clues to the building blocks of life and the origins of planets. In 2016, NASA launched the OSIRIS-REx mission to study Bennu up close, gather samples, and return them to Earth for detailed analysis. The spacecraft reached Bennu in 2018, performed a detailed survey of its surface, and collected samples in 2020. These samples are expected to provide significant insights into the composition of early solar system materials and the pathways through which they might lead to the formation of life. The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is set to return to Earth with its precious cargo in 2023.