NASA’s Bennu Asteroid Sample Shows High Carbon and Water Content in Initial Studies
By Geetha Pillai•



NASA's OSIRIS-REx Mission Sheds New Light on Asteroids, Signaling Potential Life Origins

US space agency NASA has revealed fascinating insights from an analysis of a pristine asteroid sample collected by the OSIRIS-REx mission. The sample not only contains water but also a significant amount of carbon. This discovery suggests that asteroids like Bennu might have been instrumental in delivering the building blocks of life to Earth.

A Historic Space Expedition

The OSIRIS-REx mission, which stands for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer, was launched by NASA in 2016. Its goal was to explore Bennu, a carbon-rich asteroid that has been circling the sun for more than 4.5 billion years. The spacecraft successfully gathered a sample from the asteroid in October 2020 and returned to Earth in 2021, marking a significant milestone in space exploration.

Unveiling the Secrets of the Universe

The sample is the largest carbon-rich asteroid sample ever returned to Earth. Scientists will study the material to understand the formation and evolution of the asteroid and its overall composition. The studies could provide insight into the early solar system and possibly the origins of life. The presence of significant amounts of carbon and water is particularly intriguing, as these are critical components of life as we know it.

Preparing for the Future

The findings could also help NASA determine how to deflect the asteroid if it poses a future threat to Earth. Bennu is classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA) due to its size and proximity to Earth’s orbit. However, NASA has stressed that the chances of Bennu impacting Earth in the next century are minimal.

Preserving Knowledge for Future Generations

The sample will be analyzed for the next two years and will be divided and sent to laboratories worldwide. In line with NASA’s philosophy of preserving knowledge for future generations, the majority of the sample will be stored for future generations to study with better technology.