The particularly precarious operation should provide a better picture of the origin of our solar system. Perhaps the research will give clues to the origin of life on earth.
Vacuum cleaner hose
Tonight the OSIRIS-REx will fly a few meters above Bennu and lower a kind of vacuum cleaner hose. It touches the surface for 10 seconds. The probe does this completely independently, the distance to the earth is so great that the flight control cannot intervene. The scientists behind the mission hope they can retrieve at least 60 grams. When that’s done, it flies away. He must land on Earth in 2023. The mission costs about $ 1 billion.
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Delivery van
The OSIRIS-REx, the size of a van, was launched in 2016 and arrived at Bennu two years later. The asteroid is located nearly 333 million kilometers from Earth. The probe has since photographed and measured Bennu from all angles. He discovered traces of water molecules on the rock. The probe was also looking for the ideal place to take material with you. The choice fell on a crater called Nightingale. The probe has now reached 3.7 billion kilometers.
It is the first time for the Americans to collect material from an asteroid. She preceded Japan with the missions Hayabusa and Hayabusa2.
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