Jackson Way

NASA’s OSIRIS-REX mission has introduced returned portions of an asteroid known as Bennu! Imagine gathering area souvenirs from thousands and thousands of miles away. After much planning and tough work, a tablet full of rocks and dirt from Bennu safely landed in Utah. 

Scientists have been careful about maintaining the asteroid bits, surrounding them with nitrogen, a fuel that doesn’t blend with different stuff. This way, the samples won’t get messed up with the aid of Earth’s stuff, and scientists can have a look at them well. 

But why is this asteroid stuff so exciting? Well, these samples are like time drugs. They can tell us how our solar system got here and how life on Earth began. Plus, they can help us figure out a way to deal with risky asteroids in the event that they ever come our way. This is a good way of learning about space and potential dangers.

The tablet held about eight of Bennu. It’s going to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston where scientists will open it up, weigh the samples, and spot what’s internal. Then, they will share some of it with scientists all around the world. 

This mission became a massive success for a large crew of clever folks who guided the spacecraft every step of the way. They did not simply accumulate samples; they made sure the spacecraft adequately reached Bennu, discovered a great spot to grab a few area dirt, and properly brought it back to Earth. 

So, although this feels like the end of an awesome tale, it is simply the beginning. Scientists now get to dig into these asteroid samples and research more about our splendid solar gadget. In the coming months, scientists will unlock the mysteries within these asteroid samples, paving the way for new discoveries.