OSIRIS-REx’s success, and Bennu’s gift of knowledge from the heavens

Source: The post is based on the article “OSIRIS-REx’s success, and Bennu’s gift of knowledge from the heavens” published in “Indian express” on 27th September 2023.

Syllabus: GS3- Science and technology- Awareness in the fields of Space

News: This article is about NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, which collected rock samples from the asteroid Bennu and returned them to Earth, helping scientists learn about the solar system’s history and how life may have started on Earth.

What is the OSIRIS-REx mission?

OSIRIS-REx Mission Overview:

NASA’s project to study asteroid Bennu.

Aimed to collect and return rock samples to Earth.

Launched in 2018 and successfully collected samples from Bennu.

The mission faced many challenges, including initial project approval issues.

It’s the “first American asteroid sample return in history.”

Significance of Bennu:

Discovered in 1999.

Believed to have formed between Mars and Jupiter.

Thought to hold clues about the solar system’s history and Earth’s life origins.

Comparative Note:

Unlike past Japanese missions, OSIRIS-REx brought back a considerable amount of material, offering more extensive insights.

Mission Outcomes:

Samples safely landed in Utah.

Detailed study results will be available in October, promising new understanding of our universe.