What Is Asteroid Bennu?

Asteroid Bennu is a near-Earth asteroid that was discovered in 1999. It is about 500 meters (1,640 feet) in diameter and has a mass of about 78 billion kilograms (172 billion pounds). Bennu is classified as a carbonaceous asteroid, which means that it is rich in carbon and other organic molecules.

Bennu is one of the most well-studied asteroids in the solar system. In 2016, NASA launched the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft to study Bennu and collect a sample of its surface material. 

The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft arrived at Bennu in 2018 and spent two years studying the asteroid. 

In October 2020, the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft successfully collected a sample of Bennu's surface material. 

NASA mentions: “On Oct. 20, 2020, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft successfully descended to the surface of asteroid Bennu and collected rocky material from sample site Nightingale during its Touch-and-Go (TAG) sample collection maneuver.” 

“Two days later, the mission team received images from OSIRIS-REx confirming the spacecraft had collected more than enough material to meet one of its main mission requirements – acquiring at least 2 ounces (60 grams) of the asteroid’s surface material. The team later successfully stored the sample in the Sample Return Capsule (SRC) for the spacecraft’s journey back to Earth,” it adds.

The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is scheduled to return with the sample on 24 September 2023 

Scientists are interested in studying Bennu because it is a primitive asteroid that has not changed much since it formed early in the history of the solar system. 

Bennu may contain organic molecules that could have been involved in the origin of life on Earth. Scientists also believe that Bennu could be a potential hazard to Earth in the future. Bennu has a small chance of impacting Earth in the next few centuries.