Bennu Asteroid / Why is Bennu's sample so valuable for NASA - a treasure from space

Bennu Asteroid: NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission is in discussion. The reason for the discussion is the sample which NASA's spacecraft brought recently. American space agency NASA recently shared information related to asteroid Bennu and photographs of samples taken from here. There are many special things about this mission which are surprising. For example, NASA's spacecraft flew in the year 2020 to collect samples of asteroid Bennu. That space plane returned just two weeks ago.

Many things came to light after the landing of the plane capsule in Utah, America. According to NASA, the capsule has returned with a 750 gram sample from asteroid Bennu. Interestingly, NASA had spent 1.16 billion dollars for this mission.

Why is this specimen no less than a treasure?

The sample brought from asteroid Bennu is no less than a treasure. This sample is said to be about 4.6 billion years old. NASA says that it is made of carbon and water. The earth is also made up of these two. That is why it is also being called a treasure because it is expected to provide information about how the Earth was formed and how life started here.

Now let us understand why NASA scientists bet on this asteroid. Actually, while choosing the asteroid, scientists understood its organic compounds. Scientists believe that special types of particles can be obtained from the debris of this asteroid.

Christopher Sneed, the curation lead of this mission of NASA, says that the quantity of sample is sufficient from which many types of information can be revealed. After reaching Earth, the capsule was taken to the Johnson Center. Where it will be sent to different labs in the world and about 200 scientists will examine it. This shows how special this sample is for NASA.

200 Scientists will investigate

The data collected so far by the spacecraft has shown that the particles in the outer part of the asteroid Bennu are very loose. Scientists think that from this we can know what is the science behind the formation of planet from Earth. An attempt will be made from the sample to find out how things started coming together and the Earth became a habitable planet.

24 Times more powerful than a nuclear explosion

Astronomers say, Bennu is a huge asteroid which can collide with the Earth. If this happens, 1200 mega tons of energy will be released on Earth, which will be 24 times more powerful than a nuclear explosion. The risk of it hitting the Earth is only 0.037 percent. This asteroid, discovered in 1999, may hit the Earth in the next 159 years.