Is there any threat to Earth with Asteroid Bennu? | Will NASA trace out the origin of the life on Earth?

Asteroids are the building blocks of our solar system and they carry hidden mysteries of the Universe. Asteroid Bennu is a carbonaceous asteroid means that it contains mostly carbon, which is associated with life. It's not just about carrying the possibilities of life but also carrying the possibilities of death. Bennu is a smaller asteroid compared to that of asteroid which killed dinosaurs, but can cause a huge amount of damage to the area that effected. It is a type of asteroid (NEO) that shares same region of space as Earth (Around obit of Sun). For every six years it gets close to the Earth which actually increasing the chances to hit and damage the Earth. So to understand whether it has possibilities to hit the Earth or not, we have to study it.

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Image credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

When astronomers discovered Bennu they also discovered that, it has higher chances to hit Earth. It is in the list of potentially hazardous objects that will hit Earth soon. So to know the orbit of Bennu scientists have to know the exact location, shape and size of asteroid Bennu.

One of the reason that causing Bennu to hit the Earth is Yarkovsky effect which causes every rotating object in the solar system to change orbit a little bit. When Sun light strikes the Bennu (due to emitted thermal photons which carry momentum), it acts like a bit of thrust accelerating the orbital motion of Bennu. So Yarkovsky effect influencing the Bennu's path.

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Image credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

On 8 September 2016, NASA launched a spaceprobe called OSIRIS-REx which is a sample return mission to study the asteroid Bennu. After crossing the Moon's orbit, it started to orbit the Sun. On 3 December 2018, it reached asteroid Bennu which is nearly 500 meters wide. From there it started scanning the surface creating a total map of the asteroid Bennu. It takes 62 hours for the OSIRIS-REx to orbit Bennu at an altitude of 1.75 kms above the surface. Since then scientists are studying Bennu by information obtained from OSIRIS-REx and finding the best landing sites which has interesting geology to collect samples.

It will collect 60 grams of sample from asteroid by a new technology called TAGSAM (by robotic arm) meaning Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism. With this sample collected in a protected box (from contamination), it will return back to Earth which helps scientists to find organic compounds. But OSIRIS-REx already spotted some dynamic activity on the Bennu.

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Image credit: NASA

However, OSIRIS-REx has already selected the best landing sites to collect samples named as Osprey, Kingfisher, Nightingale and Sandpiper. But recently on 12 December 2019, NASA chosen best landing spot named as Nightingale. Recently NASA said that they will make their first attempt on October 20, 2020. It will make a total of 3 attempts to collect the samples. After successful collection of the samples and if it isn't crashed in any of the attempts, it will return back to the Earth with the capsule containing samples. It will travel for a total of 2 years to the Earth and on 23 September 2023, the capsule will safely reach the Earth.

On 2 march 2004, a spaceprobe called Rosetta was launched by ESA to study a comet called 67P. On 6 August 2014, it reached comet and performed series of landings (trials). Later on 30 September 2016, the mission was ended in a disaster by hard landing on comet. But OSIRIS-REx have still sample collection part to go. If it is successful, then this mission will serve as a masterpiece in finding the origin of life on Earth. Let us wait for it.

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