Tucson, Arizona – NASA scientists are currently examining the fragments brought back from the Bennu asteroid, with early indications suggesting that the material originated from an ancient ocean world. Initial analysis shows the presence of a unique phosphate crust on the asteroid, a mineral composition that has never been seen before on meteorites that reach Earth. This discovery has sparked excitement among scientists, as it has the potential to provide valuable insights into the early history of our solar system.
The chemistry of the phosphate mineral found on Bennu bears a striking resemblance to that found in vapor emanating from beneath the icy crust of Saturn’s moon, Enceladus. This has led scientists to hypothesize that the material on the asteroid could have played a role in the origins of life on Earth.
Furthermore, researchers believe that the world Bennu was once a part of shared similarities with Enceladus but was approximately half the size. As the solar system was forming, it likely collided with another object, leading to the creation of thousands of asteroids. The opportunity to study samples from an asteroid is incredibly rare, with the OSIRIS-REx mission marking only the third time in history that samples from an asteroid have been returned to Earth.
The round trip for the OSIRIS-REx mission took a total of seven years, covering a distance of 6.21 billion kilometers (3.86 billion miles) before the sample capsule arrived back safely in September 2023. Planetary scientist Dante Lauretta from the University of Arizona expressed that the amount of sample gathered is significant, indicating that researchers will be occupied with the analysis for years to come.
Scientists from various research institutions across the globe are currently examining the asteroid fragments. At the University of Arizona, researchers are sifting through thousands of particles, utilizing techniques such as X-ray diffraction to gain a better understanding of the nature of the material. The analysis of Bennu’s fragments could provide valuable insights into the formation of the solar system approximately 4.5 billion years ago, shedding light on the origins of Earth itself.
As the research is still in its preliminary stages, it is anticipated that many more discoveries and revelations will come to light in the future. This could potentially include a confirmation of the type of planetesimal that spawned Bennu. The findings from the ongoing analysis are set to be presented at the 55th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Texas, further contributing to the body of knowledge about the formation and history of our solar system.