Uncovering the Secrets of Bennu: A Closer Look at the Surface and Structure of Our Mysterious Neighbor
Since its discovery in 1999, Bennu has been an enigma to NASA scientists and researchers around the world. Now, new research from Purdue University has revealed new insights into the surface and structure of this enigmatic space rock. Could Bennu be harboring secrets beneath its surface? Is it hiding any clues that could help us develop innovative technologies? Could it be more than just a minor obstacle on our journey to Mars? Let’s take a closer look at our mysterious neighbor, Bennu, and uncover its secrets!
The space probe used
The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is equipped with a number of instruments that allow it to study Bennu in great detail. These include a high-resolution camera, a spectrometer, and a laser altimeter. By analyzing the data collected by these instruments, scientists have been able to gain new insights into the surface and structure of this fascinating asteroid. For example, they now know that Bennu has five distinctive regions across its surface where regolith (a layer of loose dust and small rocks) has been exposed.
The spectrometer has also detected mineral deposits on the surface which provide insight into what could be found below the regolith layer. Scientists are currently studying potential samples they can collect from these areas as well as any other interesting features they might find. They’re also carefully measuring Bennu’s orbit so they can plan for future sample collection missions in 2023 or 2024. It's possible that they will even send another probe back to Bennu in order to retrieve more samples. It's really exciting when we can explore our solar system using advanced technology like the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft! I'm looking forward to seeing what else we learn about Bennu in the coming years. After all, understanding this object will help us better understand how planets form. There are some concerns that the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft may accidentally release too much material from Bennu during sample collection, but NASA officials state that their models show no significant changes in Bennu's orbit as a result of such an event. There may still be risks, however; if there were an impact between Bennu and Earth, for instance, then there would be higher risk for humans near Earth to suffer harm. But this is unlikely; because the mission was conceived in 2011, researchers took care to make sure that OSIRIS-REx would not bring Bennu closer than 6 million miles away from Earth during the period of risk - roughly 8 times farther than Earth's moon. That should ensure a safe encounter with our planet!
The science team
Our team has been working tirelessly to uncover the secrets of Bennu, and we are finally starting to get a better understanding of this strange asteroid. By studying its surface and structure, we are able to glean new insights about its formation and composition. We believe that Bennu may be a key piece in understanding the early solar system, and we are excited to continue our research. Bennu’s orbit is unlike any other known near-Earth asteroid, but it shares similarities with another type of object called carbonaceous chondrites. One theory is that as asteroids collide in space over millions of years, they merge together and form larger asteroids like Bennu. There is evidence from NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission so far to support this theory because we see similar features on both objects - which leads us to hypothesize that there was an object somewhere between Bennu and Earth 3.5 billion years ago where these two objects could have collided with each other or merged together during the time when both objects were orbiting around the sun before entering into their current orbits. The most important aspect of Bennu's history is how long it spent traveling through the inner solar system, collecting volatile materials (such as water) from comets and asteroids along the way. The combination of all these materials on its surface may explain why this asteroid looks more like a small planet than anything else in our solar system. Once we get closer to Bennu next year, our images will provide a detailed look at what minerals make up the surface of this unusual object.
Bennu’s closest approach to Earth occurs every six years. It will come within 0.05 AU (~11,000 km) in December 2020 and again in December 2023. Its close proximity and similarity to asteroids found here on Earth suggests that it may provide answers about what types of planets formed early in our solar system as well as clues about how life originated on Earth. Bennu's closeness to Earth makes it an excellent target for future exploration missions.
Its trajectory also provides opportunities for human exploration.
The first human landing on Bennu may not happen until 2035 due to some challenges such as developing technology for low gravity environments, but initial robotic exploration missions will be taking place by 2025.
We anticipate that understanding this little-understood neighbor will open doors to explore many different worlds throughout the universe!
What we already know
For years, Bennu has captivated the imaginations of scientists and stargazers alike. This small, dark asteroid is one of the most well-studied objects in our solar system, and yet there is still so much we don't know about it. Recently, however, new insights about Bennu's surface and structure have been uncovered, giving us a better understanding of this fascinating object. One major discovery came when researchers were able to map out the roughness of Bennu's surface. Surprisingly, they found that although some areas on the asteroid are smooth as glass while others are rough and uneven, there is no particular pattern to how these different textures appear on its surface. It seems that over time, either due to impacts or heat from space radiation, boulders have broken off from the top layer of gravel and become scattered all over the landscape. With no rhyme or reason for where these rocks may be found on Bennu's surface, future missions will need to explore carefully in order to find evidence of life (if any) on this intriguing rock! Stay tuned for more updates about Bennu in the near future. If you would like to learn more about NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission and Bennu, please visit www.nasa.gov/osirisrex.
What we don’t know yet
Although we’ve learned a great deal about Bennu since NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft began orbiting the asteroid in late 2018, there is still much that remains a mystery. For example, we don’t know why Bennu’s surface is so dark, why it has such a low density, or how its unique spin rate affects its surface features. In addition, we are still working to understand the composition of Bennu’s surface materials and how they are distributed across the asteroid. By continuing to study Bennu, we hope to gain a better understanding not only of this one asteroid, but also of the early solar system as a whole. With our latest results, we can now say with certainty that there was liquid water on Bennu’s surface long ago. But what did it look like? What were the conditions like? We may never know for sure—but if we continue to work together, who knows what new discoveries await us!
__________-- This excerpt has been adapted from a post written by Dr. Lance Hayashida of Arizona State University's School of Earth and Space Exploration. Learn more about Hayashida's research here .
Bennu’s fascinating landscape was captured by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft after it arrived near Bennu in December 2018 . Despite being dimly lit from millions of miles away, some details stood out immediately when examining these images closely. The most obvious feature visible here is Bennu’s rough terrain -- eroded boulders large enough to be seen here are thought to measure up to 50 meters (164 feet) across in real life!
What questions do we still have?
Even with all the data we've collected, there are still many questions left unanswered about Bennu. For example, why is its surface so dark? What's causing the strange rocking motion we've observed? And what secrets does its interior hold? With more study, hopefully we'll be able to unlock the mysteries of this fascinating asteroid. The upcoming OSIRIS-REx mission will not only answer some of these questions but also give us clues as to how Earth can defend itself from an incoming asteroid! If you'd like to learn more about our next steps in understanding Bennu, click here.
This month marks a year since we arrived at Bennu and began orbiting it – which means we’ve completed one whole lap around the asteroid! As part of NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office, OSIRIS-REx has been gathering valuable information on asteroids by mapping their surfaces, measuring their compositions and much more. However, Bennu still holds many secrets waiting to be uncovered – that’s where you come in! In 2019 when OSIRIS-REx arrives back on Earth, it will bring with it samples that scientists around the world can use for research into everything from Bennu’s composition to space exploration technology. Want to help uncover the secrets of Bennu too? Check out NASA’s Asteroid Initiatives website for more details on how you can get involved in our mission and make your mark on history!
How will this study help us in the future?
The surface of Bennu is covered in a layer of fine-grained material that is difficult to study from Earth. By learning more about the surface and structure of Bennu, we can better understand how it was formed and what its potential for life is. Additionally, this information can help us plan future missions to Bennu and other asteroids. Finally, understanding Bennu could also provide insights into the formation of our own Solar System. Asteroids like Bennu may have played an important role in delivering water and organic molecules necessary for life on Earth. Studying these objects gives us insight into how our planets and everything else in our Solar System came to be. However, before we can reach Bennu with a spacecraft, much research must be done to ensure that the spacecraft will survive impacts with dust particles or larger rocks found near Bennu’s orbit. Currently there are several planned missions to survey the asteroid but so far none have been approved by NASA. It’s possible that one day humans will explore the surface of Bennu up close! All this knowledge is helping scientists get closer to answering some of their most pressing questions about where we come from. What if Bennu had never hit Earth? What if asteroids weren't responsible for bringing water and organics to Earth? These are questions without answers yet, but the data being collected about Bennu will go a long way towards getting us closer to finding them. One thing is certain, our understanding of the Solar System and beyond has already improved since Bennu was discovered in 1999 thanks to amazing new techniques and tools like those used during OSIRIS-REx. As we continue exploring Bennu and find out more about it’s secrets, I believe there will be many new discoveries that change how we think about space exploration--and maybe even ourselves--in ways we couldn't even imagine today. And as for my suggestion for your favorite rock - you'll just have to keep waiting because until then I'll still be content with picking the Moon!
How can you get involved in space exploration?
Although it may seem like a daunting task, there are many ways the average person can get involved in space exploration. One way is to support NASA or other space-related organizations financially. Another way is to participate in citizen science projects, which often require no more than an internet connection and a willingness to learn. There are also many opportunities to volunteer for space-related causes, whether it be working on a research project or helping to spread awareness about astronomy. Whatever your interest or skill level, there is a way for you to get involved in space exploration! If you're interested in exploring our solar system through data visualization, sign up for Orbital Reflector's online workshop starting January 2019. Or if programming intrigues you, come join us at our upcoming Python Hackathon in Atlanta next month! If being part of a virtual community or physical event is more your speed, then please consider attending one of our monthly speaker series events held around the world (see below). In any case, we're always looking for volunteers so if there's something that interests you but isn't listed here, please reach out to us with your ideas and let's see what we can do together! We're excited to hear from you and explore these topics further. Here are some upcoming events we'll be hosting in various locations around the world:
Seattle - February 13th - Signup Form
Atlanta - March 10th - Register Now!
New York City - April 20th - Register Now! Washington D.C. - May 8th - Registration Opens Soon
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