A scanning electron microscope image of a micrometeorite impact crater in a particle of asteroid Bennu material (Image source: NASA, and Zia Rahman)
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission collected samples from the small asteroid Bennu. Scientists traced the samples to the pre-solar system era to discover how and from what the samples were formed.
OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer) is a NASA mission that launched in 2016. The mission collected samples from the asteroid Bennu.
Scientists believe asteroids regularly collided with young planets during the planets’ formative years. As a result, there was a chance these asteroids delivered water and other ingredients for life to Earth during impact. That was OSIRIS-REx’s mission. It collected samples from Bennu’s surface on October 20, 2020. Three different research groups have now found some interesting details about those samples.
Given that Bennu was formed from a much larger asteroid, one of the groups focused on tracing the origins of Bennu’s ancestor. They found components older than even the solar system. Ann Nguyen, one of the co-leads of the papers reported, “We found stardust grains with compositions that predate the solar system, organic matter that likely formed in interstellar space, and high temperature minerals that formed closer to the Sun.”
Another group discovered that the materials making up Bennu underwent several changes over time as they reacted with water. Their analysis suggests that Bennu’s ancestors collected ice and dust. The ice melted, and the liquid then mixed with the dust to form the parts of Bennu observed.
The third group found impact melts on the surface of the samples from Bennu. This suggests that the asteroid was hit several times by micrometeorites. Since asteroids have no atmosphere, surface weathering from the effects of micrometeorites and hot, blazing solar wind is expected. But on Bennu, it is happening at an incredibly fast rate.
OSIRIS-REx is on its way to asteroid Apophis under a new name — OSIRIS-APEX. It will likely observe Apophis together with the Ramses mission. Asteroids are like a time capsule. Scientists are using them to get a clear picture of how the solar system formed about 4.5 billion years ago.
Chibuike Okpara – Tech Writer – 173 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2024
I have always been fascinated by technology and digital devices my entire life and even got addicted to it. I have always marveled at the intricacy of even the simplest digital devices and systems around us. I have been writing and publishing articles online for about 6 years now, just about a year ago, I found myself lost in the marvel of smartphones and laptops we have in our hands every day. I developed a passion for learning about new devices and technologies that come with them and at some point, I asked myself, “Why not get into writing tech articles?” It is useless to say I followed up the idea — it is evident. I am an open-minded individual who derives an infinite amount of joy from researching and discovering new information, I believe there is so much to learn and such a short life to live, so I put my time to good use — learning new things. I am a ‘bookworm’ of the internet and digital devices. When I am not writing, you will find me on my devices still, I do explore and admire the beauty of nature and creatures. I am a fast learner and quickly adapt to changes, always looking forward to new adventures.