Tag: nasa asteroid mission

Asteroid Bennu samples collected by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx have building blocks of life, reveals study
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Asteroid Bennu samples collected by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx have building blocks of life, reveals study

[ad_1] NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission has delivered an extraordinary revelation with its sample collection from asteroid Bennu, unveiling a treasure trove of clues about the origins of life. Initial studies of the 4.5-billion-year-old sample have uncovered the presence of carbon and water, suggesting that the fundamental components for life on Earth may also exist within this extraterrestrial rock.Ingredients of life discovered in asteroid Bennu samplesThe OSIRIS-REx mission surpassed expectations by not only meeting but exceeding its goal of collecting 60 grams of asteroid material. Bonus material found on the collector head, canister lid, and base has provided scientists with an abundance of material to analyze, promising continued discoveries and revelations about the solar system's forma...
After Bennu asteroid, NASA sends OSIRIS-REx on a mission to study ‘God of Chaos’ asteroid Apophis
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After Bennu asteroid, NASA sends OSIRIS-REx on a mission to study ‘God of Chaos’ asteroid Apophis

[ad_1] NASA has discovered thousands of asteroids to date using its advanced ground and space-based telescopes. The list of asteroids includes a potentially life-threatening asteroid called Bennu which has a 1/2700 chance of impacting Earth between 2175 and 2195. With such possibility looming, the US space agency carried out a study of the asteroid by landing a spacecraft on it and collecting dust and rock samples, which recently returned to Earth. Now, NASA has repurposed the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft to study another potentially life-threatening asteroid, one which could come very close to Earth within this decade! Know all about the NASA God of Chaos mission to study asteroid Apophis.NASA God of Chaos missionAfter depositing the samples collected from the Bennu asteroid back to Earth, NA...
NASA says Apollo group asteroid will fly past Earth today
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NASA says Apollo group asteroid will fly past Earth today

[ad_1] Through various experiments, scientists have known that while asteroids have the potential to cause catastrophic damage if they impact Earth, these objects can also become a resource hub. Scientists study asteroids to learn more about the early solar system and the conditions that existed when the planets were forming. However, an entirely new experiment could mean that asteroids may also protect Earth from the Sun's intense rays, mitigating climate change! This move, ideated by astronomer Istvan Szapudi, from the University of Hawai'i Institute for Astronomy, proposes a space-based solar radiation management (SRM) shield or shade that is tethered to an asteroid as a counterweight.In another development, NASA has now revealed that an asteroid is set to pass Earth very closely tod...
NASA’s Lucy mission spacecraft will fly by asteroid Dinikinesh for the first time
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NASA’s Lucy mission spacecraft will fly by asteroid Dinikinesh for the first time

[ad_1] Asteroids have posed a threat to Earth with their close approaches throughout history. While most of these ancient space rocks have passed the planet at close proximity, a few of them have impacted Earth, altering the course of history itself. Perhaps the most famous asteroid impact in history is the asteroid which struck Earth 65 million years ago and kicked off the extinction of dinosaurs. Therefore, it is imperative that we discover and study these space rocks up close to minimize any uncertainties around their close approaches and predict any potential impact. This is where NASA's Lucy mission comes in.What is Lucy mission?To understand asteroids better, and study the ones not located in the asteroid belt, NASA launched its Lucy mission on October 16, 2021, from the Kennedy S...
What is Psyche Mission? Know all about NASA’s journey to a $10 quintillion 279-km wide asteroid
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What is Psyche Mission? Know all about NASA’s journey to a $10 quintillion 279-km wide asteroid

[ad_1] After months of delays, NASA finally launched its Psyche mission on October 13 via a SpaceX Falcon rocket Heavy rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission was initially due to launch not before September 20, 2022, but was postponed due to late delivery of the spacecraft's software and testing equipment. NASA then planned the launch for October 12, but the launch was again scrapped due to unfavourable weather conditions. The mission was then rescheduled for October 13, and this time the launch did happen. Know all about it.What is NASA's Psyche mission?The Psyche mission is part of NASA's Discovery missions. NASA will study an asteroid called 16 Psyche which is currently orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. It was discovered in 1852 by Italian astronomer An...
Five things to know about NASA’s mission to a metal world
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Five things to know about NASA’s mission to a metal world

[ad_1] For the first time ever, a NASA probe is journeying to an object composed not of rock, ice, or gas, but metal: the asteroid Psyche.By studying this space oddity, scientists hope to learn more about the inner cores of rocky planets such as our own -- or, potentially catalog a previously unknown class of cosmic body. Here are some fun facts about the mission, which launched on Friday. - $10 quadrillion -If Psyche were mineable, its iron, nickel and gold deposits could be worth an eye-watering $10,000 quadrillion (that's $10,000,000,000,000,000,000), according to an estimate reported by Forbes magazine.But Lindy Elkins-Tanton, the mission's principal investigator who was responsible for that calculation, said it's nothing more than a "fun intellectual exercise with no truth to it.""...
Wow! NASA finds building blocks of LIFE in Bennu Asteroid sample!
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Wow! NASA finds building blocks of LIFE in Bennu Asteroid sample!

[ad_1] NASA has been making efforts to track and study asteroids to remove uncertainties about their close approaches with Earth and know about any potential impacts. Through its various advanced instruments, NASA revealed that a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA) called Bennu has a 1/2700 chance of impacting Earth between 2175 and 2195. In efforts to study this space rock, NASA launched the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) on September 8, 2016. The mission involved travelling to the asteroid, landing on its surface, collecting dust and rock samples, and returning them to Earth. The mission is now over as the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft recently released the sample container over Earth, after which it underwent a “nitroge...
When NASA opened Asteroid Bennu capsule brought back to Earth by Osiris-Rex, THIS is what it found
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When NASA opened Asteroid Bennu capsule brought back to Earth by Osiris-Rex, THIS is what it found

[ad_1] After seven years in space, NASA's Osiris-Rex probe has captured the world's attention with its successful return to Earth, carrying a precious chunk of asteroid sample. This achievement promises groundbreaking insights into the origins of our solar system and potential threats from asteroids. Notably, Osiris-Rex traveled billions of miles before jettisoning the precious cargo capsule back towards Earth. The Osiris-Rex spacecraft was some 63000 miles above Earth when it released the capsule carrying the asteroid sample, which fell back to Earth. The craft itself shot by the Earth.What was on the capsule?FRANCE 24's Science reporter Shirli Sitbon, who is currently taking a close look at the mission, said that, As the lid of the capsule containing the asteroid material was opened, ...
240-foot asteroid to come close to Earth tomorrow; size and speed revealed by NASA
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240-foot asteroid to come close to Earth tomorrow; size and speed revealed by NASA

[ad_1] NASA tracks all asteroids that stray close to the Earth because they could pose a potential danger. Apart from that, information about the origin of various asteroids can solve multiple mysteries about the universe. Recently NASA has successfully brought back a chunk of asteroid Bennu from space with the help of ORISIS- REX spacecraft. This asteroid sample is a huge achievement in the field of space exploration. Now, NASA is on its next asteroid mission called Psyche. According to NASA, this mission will study this metallic asteroid. The asteroid orbits the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. As explained by NASA, the Psyche asteroid has a nickel-iron core that was essential in creating our solar system. One of the mission's main objectives is to get as close as 280 kilometers to Aster...
NASA targets Asteroid Psyche in asteroid belt; know what is the heart of the mission
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NASA targets Asteroid Psyche in asteroid belt; know what is the heart of the mission

[ad_1] NASA is on a continuous mission of exploration of the cosmos. One such mission, Psyche, scheduled to launch in October 2023, promises to unveil the secrets of a metal-rich asteroid like never before. This ambitious endeavor is set to use cutting-edge technology, including highly sensitive cameras. Asteroid Psyche follows quickly on the heels of the successful mission by NASA called DART in which the US space agency crashed a spacecraft into an asteroid in order to deflect it from its path. Psyche MissionThe Psyche mission is led by Arizona State University. Psyche's primary objective is to investigate a fascinating celestial body known as Asteroid Psyche, an M-class asteroid located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Psyche holds the potential to provide crucial insig...