Planet Earth is on the precipice of a momentous occasion, as it eagerly awaits the arrival of a remarkable delivery – the largest sample ever collected from an asteroid.
The highly esteemed National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has meticulously orchestrated a mission that will culminate in a moment of unparalleled scientific significance.
On the upcoming Sunday, a NASA spacecraft will gracefully soar through Earth’s atmosphere, poised to release a substantial amount of precious asteroid rubble it has dutifully procured from the enigmatic Bennu.
This remarkable feat will mark the culmination of a tireless seven-year endeavor, one that has pushed the boundaries of human exploration and understanding.
As the sample capsule gracefully descends, it will eventually find its resting place in the majestic Utah desert, while its celestial companion, the Osiris-Rex spacecraft, embarks on yet another extraordinary encounter with a different asteroid.
The magnitude of this event cannot be overstated, as it represents a monumental leap forward in our quest to unravel the mysteries of our universe and unlock the secrets held within these celestial bodies.
Scientists are eagerly anticipating the retrieval of approximately half a pound, or 250 grams, of precious pebbles and dust from the asteroid Bennu.
This significant amount far surpasses the mere teaspoonful of samples that Japan was able to bring back from two other asteroids, making this mission a groundbreaking achievement.
No other nation has successfully collected pieces of asteroids, which serve as invaluable time capsules from the early stages of our solar system.
These samples hold the potential to unravel the mysteries surrounding the origins of Earth and the emergence of life itself.
After a remarkable 4 billion-mile, or 6.2-billion-kilometer, journey, marked by a successful rendezvous with Bennu, a daring pogo stick-style touchdown and sample collection, and a momentary setback when the sample container lid became stuck, resulting in some of the precious cargo being inadvertently scattered into space, NASA’s first-ever asteroid samples are finally returning home.
Dante Lauretta, the lead scientist from the University of Arizona, reflects on the numerous heart-pounding moments experienced throughout this mission and wonders if he has reached the threshold of excitement in his lifetime.
As we eagerly await the spacecraft’s safe return, let us take a brief look at the remarkable vessel and the invaluable cargo it carries.
THE LONG JOURNEY
The mission of the asteroid chaser Osiris-Rex, which embarked on a $1 billion endeavor in 2016, has been nothing short of remarkable.
After a two-year journey, the spacecraft arrived at Bennu in 2018, where it embarked on an intricate exploration of the small spinning space rock.
Over the course of this period, Osiris-Rex diligently scouted the area, meticulously identifying the most optimal location to collect samples.
Then, three years ago, a defining moment arrived as the spacecraft deftly maneuvered, extending its 11-foot (3-meter) stick vacuum to make contact with the asteroid’s surface. In a moment of triumph, the device successfully absorbed an array of dust and pebbles.
However, the sheer force exerted during this process caused rocks to become lodged around the rim of the lid, resulting in a fraction of the samples drifting off into the vast expanse of space.
Faced with this unforeseen challenge, Lauretta and his team swiftly mobilized, working tirelessly to secure the remaining material within the capsule.
While the precise quantity of samples within the container remains unknown, it is a matter of great anticipation and scientific curiosity until the moment when the capsule is finally opened.
ASTEROID BENNU
Discovered in the year 1999, Bennu, an asteroid of considerable interest, is widely believed to be a fragmentary remnant of a significantly larger celestial body that had collided with another space rock.
Measuring a mere one-third of a mile, or equivalently half a kilometer, in width, it stands at a height roughly akin to that of the iconic Empire State Building.
Its surface, characterized by its black and rugged nature, is densely populated with an assortment of boulders.
Bennu, with its roundish form resembling a spinning top, gracefully orbits the sun once every 14 months, while simultaneously rotating on its own axis every four hours.
The scientific community posits that Bennu may harbor remnants from the formation of our solar system, an event that transpired an astonishing 4.5 billion years ago.
In a rather disconcerting revelation, it has been postulated that Bennu may pose a potential threat to our planet, as it is projected to dangerously approach and potentially collide with Earth on the ominous date of September 24th, 2182.
This fateful day would mark exactly 159 years since the initial fragments of this asteroid first graced our atmosphere.
In light of this unsettling prospect, the Osiris-Rex mission has been launched with the primary objective of conducting an in-depth investigation of Bennu.
By closely studying this enigmatic celestial body, scientists hope to unravel the mysteries surrounding its composition and structure, ultimately providing invaluable insights that could aid humanity in devising effective strategies to deflect Bennu’s trajectory, should such intervention be deemed necessary.
GAME DAY
On Sunday morning, the Osiris-Rex mission will reach a significant milestone as it releases the sample capsule from a distance of 63,000 miles (100,000 kilometers) away, approximately four hours before it is scheduled to touch down at the Defense Department’s Utah Test and Training Range.
The momentous release command will be issued from the control center of spacecraft builder Lockheed Martin, located in Colorado.
Following the release, the mothership will veer away from its current trajectory and embark on a new mission to explore another asteroid.
The sample capsule, measuring nearly 3 feet wide (81 centimeters) and 1.6 feet tall (50 centimeters), will descend through the Earth’s atmosphere at an astonishing velocity of 27,650 mph (44,500 kph) during the final 13 minutes of its journey.
To ensure a safe landing, a main parachute will be deployed, gradually decelerating the capsule for the last mile (1.6 kilometers) and allowing for a gentle touchdown at a mere 11 mph (18 kph).
Once the landing is deemed secure, the capsule will be promptly transported by helicopter to a temporary clean lab set up at the Utah Test and Training Range.
The following day, a specially arranged flight will transport the sealed container, containing the valuable rubble collected from the asteroid, to Houston, where NASA’s Johnson Space Center is located.
The excitement surrounding this event is further heightened by the fact that NASA will be livestreaming the touchdown, which is expected to occur at approximately 10:55 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
CLEANER THAN CLEAN
In order to prevent any potential cross-contamination with other collections, a newly established laboratory at Johnson Space Center will be exclusively dedicated to the study and analysis of the Bennu rubble.
This decision, as informed by NASA curator Kevin Righter, highlights the meticulous precautions taken by the agency to ensure the integrity and purity of the samples.
Building 31, which already houses the precious moon rocks brought back by the Apollo astronauts during their historic missions from 1969 through 1972, as well as minute particles of comet dust and specks of solar wind gathered in previous endeavors, will now extend its portfolio to include the Mars meteorites discovered in Antarctica.
The handling of the asteroid samples will be conducted within nitrogen-purging gloveboxes, employing a staff attired in head-to-toe clean room suits.
With great anticipation, NASA has scheduled an elaborate and grand public unveiling of the extraordinary wealth of information contained within the Bennu samples on the 11th of October.
ASTEROID AUTUMN
This autumn, NASA is embarking on what they have aptly named Asteroid Autumn, a season filled with three significant milestones in asteroid exploration.
The first milestone is the anticipated touchdown of the Osiris-Rex spacecraft, followed closely by the launch of another remarkable asteroid hunter on the 5th of October.
What makes this second mission even more intriguing is the fact that both the NASA spacecraft and its intended target, a metal asteroid, share the name Psyche.
As if that wasn’t enough excitement, just a month later, the Lucy spacecraft, which took off from Cape Canaveral, Florida in 2021, will encounter its very first asteroid.
On the 1st of November, Lucy will gracefully pass by Dinkinesh, located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
This encounter will serve as a warmup for Lucy’s groundbreaking exploration of the Trojans, clusters of asteroids that trail Jupiter as it orbits the sun.
While these missions promise to be awe-inspiring, it is important to note that neither Psyche nor Lucy will be collecting any souvenirs from their encounters.
Similarly, Osiris-Rex, on its next assignment to explore the asteroid Apophis in 2029, will also refrain from collecting any mementos.
OTHER SAMPLE RETURNS
NASA’s latest endeavor marks the agency’s third foray into the realm of deep space sample retrieval, an impressive feat that excludes the numerous pounds (or kilograms) of lunar rocks that were meticulously collected by the Apollo astronauts.
The initial attempt at robotic sample collection, carried out in 2004, met an unfortunate end as the capsule containing solar wind particles collided with the unforgiving Utah desert, resulting in its disintegration and the subsequent loss of the invaluable samples.
However, two years later, a U.S. capsule triumphantly returned to Earth, successfully safeguarding its precious cargo of comet dust.
Japan also joined the ranks of sample return missions, with their first endeavor in 2010 yielding minuscule grains from the asteroid Itokawa.
Building on this success, their subsequent mission to the asteroid Ryugu in 2020 managed to retrieve approximately 5 grams of material, equivalent to a mere teaspoonful.
It is worth noting that the Soviet Union had previously accomplished the transportation of moon samples during the 1970s, and more recently, China made history by returning lunar material in 2020.