Space Mysteries: NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Reveals Some of Planet Earth’s Ancient Origins

The ultimate aim of space scientists is to discover the origins of life and then figure out how things may move in the future in a better, more predicatble, way. Easier said than done, but scientists across the globe are hard at work on it. In 2023, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft made a groundbreaking discovery on asteroid Bennu, shedding light on the building blocks of life on Earth. This remarkable finding adds to our understanding of how Earth became a life-sustaining planet.

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission unveiled evidence of the “building blocks of life on Earth” after collecting samples from asteroid Bennu.

The mission provided vital insights into the role of asteroids like Bennu in shaping Earth’s sustainability, affirming their significance.

NASA’s administrator, Bill Nelson, called it the “biggest carbon-rich asteroid sample ever delivered to Earth,” offering a significant advantage in investigating early Earth conditions that craeted favourable conditions for life.

The OSIRIS-REx mission, initiated in 2016, undertook a two-year study of Bennu, and by 2020, it collected around 8.8 ounces of samples from the asteroid.

The spacecraft returned to Earth, and landed a re-entry vehicle in the Utah desert a month ago, bringing back its impressive findings.

Scientists have been meticulously examining the collected samples to unravel the asteroid’s secrets and gain valuable insights into the Earth’s history. They got more than they bargained for as the vehicle was covered with a greater amount of material than expected.

The OSIRIS-REx mission is not slowing down; it is gearing up for another mission to explore the mysteries of the asteroid Apophis. NASA revealed that the spacecraft didn’t land, but continued on to a new mission, OSIRIS-APEX, to explore asteroid Apophis after jettisoning the asteroid sample on earth.

This discovery marks a significant step forward in space research, though the analysis of TAGSAM, the primary sample collection device, is yet to come.

The findings contribute to our understanding of how life evolved on Earth and underscore the importance of studying celestial bodies like Bennu.

The quest for knowledge about the universe continues, and each day brings us closer to unveiling its mysteries, emphasizing the significance of ongoing space exploration.