The Arizona Daily Star has been counting down to the launch of the OSIRIS-REx mission for the past 10 days, and now it’s here.
This University of Arizona-led mission aims to collect a sample of an asteroid and send it back to Earth for analysis. One final question — what’s the point?
Origins
One main objective is to learn more about the origins of our solar system. A leading theory hypothesizes that the building blocks of life, such as water and amino acids, were delivered to our planet by asteroids and comets.
It’s impossible to confirm this theory by analyzing meteorites that have crash-landed on our planet because they are quickly contaminated by Earth bacteria.
The asteroid that NASA is shooting for is called Bennu. Scientists who have observed Bennu think it could contain organic molecules that date to the formation of the solar system — and could hold the recipe for life.
Security
Bennu has a 1-in-2,700 chance of colliding with Earth by the end of the 22nd century. Scientists will be able to better predict an asteroid’s trajectory by studying Bennu’s orbit and the subtle forces that influence it.
Principal investigator Dante Lauretta called this knowledge the mission’s “gift to the future” during an interview in April with the Star.
“A lot of people think that’s a lot more valuable than putting a lander on Mars. Not to, you know, compare.”
The mission is scheduled to blast off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 4:05 p.m. Tucson time Thursday, Sept. 8.
