Preparing for Asteroid Bennu: NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Astromaterials Lab Opens Doors to Media

The purpose of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Astromaterials Lab is to study and analyze samples collected from the asteroid Bennu as part of the OSIRIS-REx mission. The lab is specifically designed to curate and research astromaterials, including samples from asteroids, comets, Mars, the Moon, the Sun, and stardust. Scientists use the lab to investigate the origin and evolution of our solar system and gain insights into planet formation and the molecular precursors of life.

The asteroid Bennu is of great interest to scientists because it is a carbonaceous asteroid that may contain valuable information about the early history of our solar system. The sample collected from Bennu could provide insights into the origins of life and Earth’s oceans, as well as help scientists understand planet formation processes. Analyzing the Bennu sample can potentially reveal molecular precursors to the origin of life and provide crucial data for improving our understanding of asteroids that could impact Earth.

Media representatives visiting the OSIRIS-REx Astromaterials Lab will have the opportunity to meet mission scientists and experts. They will be able to capture still and moving imagery of the lab and participate in interviews with subject matter experts. The visit will provide a chance to learn about the OSIRIS-REx mission, the curation process of astromaterials, and the significance of the samples collected from Bennu.

The OSIRIS-REx mission is an asteroid study and sample-return mission launched by NASA in 2016. The spacecraft traveled to the near-Earth asteroid Bennu, where it conducted a detailed study of the asteroid’s composition and geological properties. It then used a sampling mechanism to collect a sample from Bennu’s surface. The spacecraft is now on its way back to Earth with the collected sample, which is expected to be dropped into the Utah desert in September. A recovery team will retrieve the sample and transport it to the OSIRIS-REx Sample Curation Laboratory for further analysis and study.

The primary goals of the OSIRIS-REx mission are to study the asteroid Bennu and return a sample of its surface material to Earth. By analyzing the sample, scientists aim to gain insights into the formation and evolution of the solar system. They also hope to better understand the sources of water and organic molecules on Earth, explore the resources present in near-Earth space, and enhance our knowledge of potentially hazardous asteroids that could impact our planet. The mission aims to advance our understanding of planetary science and the origins of life in the universe.