- NASA’s OSIRIS-REx space mission launched from Earth in 2016, collected samples of asteroid Bennu in 2020 and returned the samples to Earth in a dramatic drop from space in September 2023.
- There are actually 3 locations on Earth the place the general public can view the samples of Bennu: in Arizona, Texas and Washington, D.C.
- Preliminary evaluation of Bennu samples counsel the asteroid is a remnant of a small planet-like physique, maybe an ocean world.
See asteroid Bennu on show
Bear in mind how thrilling it was on September 24, 2023, when – after a journey of practically 3.9 billion miles (6.8 billion km) – the OSIRIS REx spacecraft dropped its return capsule carrying items of asteroid Bennu onto a Utah desert? The samples had been shortly whisked away to a clear room in Houston for evaluation. However now they’re on show at three museums within the U.S. Would you wish to see them?
If that’s the case, there are three locations you’ll be able to go. The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., has a pattern of Bennu. Space Center Houston in Texas has one. It’s the official guests’ middle of NASA’s Johnson Area Heart in Houston. And the College of Arizona’s Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum now has a small pattern of Bennu, collected by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission and introduced again to Earth final September. The College of Arizona led the principal science operations for the mission.
These are the one three locations on this planet to showcase a chunk of an extraterrestrial rock, aside from the moon rocks introduced again by the Apollo missions.
A particular pattern from asteroid Bennu
Meteorites are frequent. You’ll find many on show in museums and even purchase them. However the Bennu pattern is exclusive in {that a} robotic spacecraft collected it from the dad or mum asteroid itself. Because the director of the Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum, Violetta Wolf, mentioned in a statement on March 6:
What’s so particular in regards to the Bennu pattern is that it was collected instantly on the asteroid, in space, and that’s one thing that we actually attempt to assist our guests perceive.
Whereas meteorites are plentiful, it is a uncommon pattern plucked instantly from an asteroid and introduced again to Earth. Additionally, warmth impacts meteorites as they journey by the environment. They’re additionally uncovered to air, water, microbes and different contaminants. The Bennu pattern, nevertheless, remains to be pristine. Wolf mentioned:
To have one thing that truly has by no means been in touch with our environment or anything on our planet is outstanding and extremely uncommon. We solely have two items within the museum like that, and that’s the lunar pattern and now the pattern from Bennu.
A protracted journey house
It took OSIRIS-REx seven years to carry the pattern again from Bennu to Earth. Throughout that point, the spacecraft traveled an unbelievable 4 billion miles (6 billion km). The spacecraft safely saved the pattern of rocky regolith inside an hermetic capsule for supply. General, OSIRIS-REx collected a total of 121.6 grams (4.29 ounces) of fabric. That will not sound like a lot, nevertheless it’s greater than sufficient for scientists to check and analyze.
On the College of Arizona, scientists obtained 200 milligrams (about seven-thousandths of an oz.) of that materials for examine. The pebble on show there’s a bit bigger than Bennu’s sand-sized bits. It’s darkish in colour, which you’ll be able to see in pictures of the complete pattern from the capsule (such because the one beneath), with well-defined construction and texture. Wolf added:
It’s not big, in fact, however for a pattern of this significance, it’s truly fairly giant. You may truly see it’s a small pebble, very darkish, virtually black. It virtually looks like one thing you’d shake out your shoe after a protracted hike. For those who look carefully, you’ll be able to see some totally different textures in it, some totally different colours.
A well-protected and precious piece of asteroid Bennu
The spacecraft protected the pattern for its journey to Earth. And now, the small items of the asteroid on show stay extremely protected. They’re sealed inside clear containers with sturdy steel casings. Contained in the containers is nitrogen. This additional protects the samples from contamination by air and chemical substances.
Wolf mentioned:
NASA’s method to scientific analysis is that it has to additionally profit the general public by interpretation and getting younger folks enthusiastic about careers in science and space-related analysis and know-how. Placing it in its show case actually was a humbling second, recognizing what simply handed by our arms.
As Wolf famous, the Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum might be including extra details about the pattern as they study extra from ongoing evaluation.
This isn’t a ‘one and finished’ sort of exhibit. We’re going to maintain including extra data as we study. Having this on show is a big milestone, however there’s nonetheless a lot to come back.
After OSIRIS-REx efficiently delivered the pattern to Earth final September, there was an sudden glitch. The lid on the pattern container was caught. Actually caught. It took months of cautious work, however the curation crew at NASA’s Johnson Area Heart in Houston, Texas, finally removed it final January.
Evaluation of the pattern materials from Bennu exhibits it’s wealthy in water, clays, carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and phosphates. In reality, the outcomes counsel that Bennu is a leftover fragment from a small planet-like physique that had an ocean. That might make Bennu’s dad or mum object just like Saturn’s moon Enceladus.
Backside line: Would you wish to see a pristine pattern of asteroid Bennu? Properly, small fragments are actually on show in Arizona, Texas and D.C.!
