Bennu is a B-type asteroid, believed to contain high amounts of carbon and potentially many of the primordial molecules present when life emerged on Earth.
Bennu is considered a potentially hazardous asteroid, with a 1-in-2,700 chance of striking Earth in the year 2182.
The sample, weighing between 3.5 to 8.8 ounces, was collected after a seven-year, 4 billion-mile round trip.
The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History has unveiled a sample of the Bennu asteroid brought back by NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission.
The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History has recently unveiled a sample of the Bennu asteroid, brought back to Earth by NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission. The sample, housed within a stainless steel bottle and surrounded by pure nitrogen, is displayed alongside scale models of the spacecraft and rocket used in the mission. The exhibit aims to engage the public with the achievements in space exploration and the ongoing pursuit of knowledge about our universe.
The sample, weighing between 3.5 to 8.8 ounces, was collected by NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft after a seven-year, 4 billion-mile round trip. Bennu, a B-type asteroid, is believed to contain high amounts of carbon and potentially many of the primordial molecules present when life emerged on Earth. This makes the asteroid a subject of great interest to scientists.
Bennu is also considered a potentially hazardous asteroid, with a 1-in-2,700 chance of striking Earth in the year 2182. Despite this potential threat, the asteroid's sample is expected to provide valuable insights into the early solar system and the origins of life on Earth.
Bennu is a B-type asteroid, which means it contains high amounts of carbon and, potentially, many of the primordial molecules present when life emerged on Earth.
The sample, housed within a stainless steel bottle and surrounded by pure nitrogen, is displayed alongside scale models of the spacecraft and rocket used in the mission.
The exhibit aims to engage the public with the achievements in space exploration and the ongoing pursuit of knowledge about our universe.