Asteroid Bennu and the OSIRIS-REx Mission

Asteroid Bennu is a key target for NASA's Osiris Rex mission due to its potential to reveal the solar system's early history and the origins of life. The mission aims to collect samples from Bennu, which could impact Earth in the 22nd century. Understanding Bennu's orbit and thermal forces is crucial for predicting its path. The mission will use a unique sample collection method in a low-gravity environment. The samples returned to Earth in 2023 will provide valuable insights for decades.

What makes asteroid Bennu a significant target for NASA's mission?

• It is the closest asteroid to Earth.

• It is the largest asteroid in the solar system.

• It has a high probability of impacting Earth soon.

• It contains clues about the solar system's early history.

What is one of the main scientific goals of the OSIRIS-REx mission?

• To mine resources from Bennu.

• To understand the origins of life and the solar system.

• To find new planets in the solar system.

• To establish a human base on Bennu.

Why is Bennu considered a 'time capsule'?

• It has been untouched by other celestial bodies.

• It contains records of the earliest stages of the solar system.

• It is the oldest known asteroid.

• It has a unique orbit around the sun.

What is a significant factor in predicting Bennu's future orbit?

• The presence of water on its surface.

• The gravitational pull of nearby planets.

• Thermal forces affecting its path.

• Its speed of rotation.

What is the purpose of the TAGSAM device?

• To measure Bennu's temperature.

• To communicate with Earth.

• To collect samples from Bennu's surface.

• To navigate the spacecraft.

How does the TAGSAM device collect samples from Bennu?

• By blowing nitrogen gas to agitate and collect soil.

• By using a robotic arm to scoop material.

• By using magnets to attract particles.

• By drilling into the asteroid.

What challenge does the low gravity of Bennu present?

• It causes objects to bounce off the surface.

• It prevents the spacecraft from orbiting Bennu.

• It increases the risk of collision with other asteroids.

• It makes it difficult to land on the asteroid.

What is the expected outcome of the OSIRIS-REx mission?

• To change Bennu's orbit to avoid collision with Earth.

• To discover new life forms on Bennu.

• To return the largest extraterrestrial sample since the Apollo missions.

• To establish a permanent base on Bennu.

How will the samples from Bennu be used in the future?

• They will be sold to private companies.

• They will be displayed in museums.

• They will be used to build new spacecraft.

• They will be studied to answer future scientific questions.

What makes the OSIRIS-REx mission exciting for scientists?

• It is the first mission to an asteroid.

• It promises to deliver new insights into the origins of the solar system.

• It will establish a new record for the fastest spacecraft.

• It will bring back living organisms from Bennu.