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Credit & Copyright: NASA,
OSIRIS-REx,
NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio;
Data:
NASA,
U. Arizona, CSA,
York U., MDA
Explanation:
What would it be like to land on an asteroid?
Although no human has yet done it,
NASA's robotic
OSIRIS-REx
spacecraft
is scheduled to attempt to touch the surface of asteroid
101955 Bennu next week.
The goal is to
collect a sample
from the
nearby
minor planet
for return to Earth for a detailed analysis in 2023.
The featured video
shows what it looks like to descend toward the
500-meter diamond-shaped asteroid, based on a digital map of
Bennu's rocky surface constructed from image and surface data taken by
OSIRIS-REx over the past 1.5
years.
The video
begins by showing a rapidly
spinning Bennu --
much faster than its real rotation period of 4.3 hours.
After the rotation stops, the virtual camera drops you down to
just above the rugged surface
and circles a house-sized rock outcrop
named Simurgh,
with the flatter outcrop Roc visible behind it.
If the return sample reaches Earth successfully, it will
be
scrutinized for
organic compounds
that might have seeded a
young Earth,
rare or unusual elements and minerals, and clues about the
early history of our
Solar System.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: asteroid
Publications with words: asteroid
See also: