AI Insight
NASA's OSIRIS-REx probe successfully collected samples from asteroid Bennu's surface in 2023. Bennu completes an orbit around the sun every 1.2 years and makes close approaches to Earth approximately every six years, passing within about 300,000 kilometers of our planet. The mission took advantage of Bennu's proximity during one of these close approaches to retrieve material from the asteroid.
Why it matters
Studying samples from Bennu could provide insights into the early solar system's formation and the role Jupiter may have played in the distribution of asteroids. The mission also demonstrates capabilities for close-proximity operations with near-Earth asteroids, which has implications for both planetary science and potential asteroid deflection strategies.
Understand the Science
The asteroid Bennu orbits the sun once every 1.2 years and approaches Earth every six years, passing within around 300,000 kilometers. NASA took advantage of this to collect material from the celestial body. In a spectacular operation in 2023, the US space agency collected samples from the surface of the asteroid Bennu by its OSIRIS-REx probe.
Source: Bennu asteroid samples point to a surprising origin involving Jupiter