The Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission is a significant initiative that has been sent to explore Asteroid Bennu. The spacecraft set out on its voyage from Cape Canaveral, Florida on September 8, 2016, and reached the asteroid after two years of travel. This mission follows in the footsteps of similar exploration attempts by Japan and Europe who engaged in projects such as the Hayabusa Mission and the Rosetta Mission.
The Purpose and Plan Behind the OSIRIS-REx Mission
The primary objective of the OSIRIS-REx mission is to study Asteroid Bennu, acquire a sample, and return it to Earth by 2023. The mission team is set to spend around 2.5 years, mapping the asteroid’s surface and examining its makeup. In the middle of 2020, the spacecraft will descend to the asteroid’s surface to gather at least 60g of regolith, also known as topsoil. The collected material will then be stored in a sterile capsule for retrieval back to Earth in 2023.
Understanding the Objectives of the Mission
The large goals of the OSIRIS-REx mission are represented in its name, serving as an acronym for its comprehensive objectives:
– Origins: Retrieve and analyze a pristine carbon-rich asteroid sample.
– Spectral Interpretation: Give ground truth or direct observations for telescopic data of the asteroid population.
– Resource Identification: Map the chemistry and mineralogy of a primitive carbon-rich asteroid.
– Security: Calculate the impact of sunlight on the orbit of a small asteroid, known as the Yarkovsky effect.
– Regolith Explorer: Document the regolith at the sampling site down to sub-centimeter scales.
Why is the Mission Significant?
Understanding the origins of Earth’s Solar System is a major focus as Bennu potentially contains carbon and water molecules that may have contributed to life on Earth. By studying Bennu, scientists hope to gain insight into how life originated on our planet.
The mission is also significant for the protection of Earth. Bennu is one of the most potentially dangerous asteroids with a 1-in-2,700 chance of impacting Earth in the late 22nd century. Observations by OSIRIS-REx will provide crucial information to scientists working on safeguarding our planet against hazardous asteroids.
OSIRIS-REx could also pave the way for future space explorations. The mission might shed light on the possibility of using asteroids as refueling stations or supply restocks for spacecraft traveling to more distant locations.
Key Facts About Bennu
| Name | Discovered By | Size | Composition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bennu (formerly 1999 RQ36) | Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) survey on September 11, 1999 | 500 meters wide | Carbonaceous asteroid |
Why Bennu Was Chosen
Bennu’s orbit is conveniently close to Earth’s, even crossing it at certain points. This proximity makes it easier to launch the spacecraft into Bennu’s plane from Earth. Moreover, Bennu’s size of about 500 meters in width provides a relatively stable platform for OSIRIS-REx to match velocities and collect samples, compared to smaller, faster-spinning asteroids.
