Newly
analyzed data from NASA's Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource
Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) has revealed the
presence of water locked within the clays of the asteroid Bennu.
Since
the beginning of the mission's approach phase in mid-August, the
science team has been using three instruments on the spacecraft to begin
making preliminary scientific observations of the asteroid from afar.
Data
obtained from the spacecraft's two spectrometers revealed the presence
of molecules that contain oxygen and hydrogen atoms bonded together,
known as 'hydroxyls'. It is currently hypothesized that these hydroxyl
groups exist throughout the asteroid in water-bearing clay minerals.
This indicates that that at some point in its history, Benu's rocky
material interacted with water.
“The presence of hydrated minerals across the asteroid confirms that
Bennu, a remnant from early in the formation of the solar system, is an
excellent specimen for the OSIRIS-REx mission to study the composition
of primitive volatiles and organics,” said Amy Simon, OVIRS deputy
instrument scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt,
Maryland. “When samples of this material are returned by the mission to
Earth in 2023, scientists will receive a treasure trove of new
information about the history and evolution of our solar system.”
Read the full press release at: https://www.asteroidmission.org/?latest-news=nasas-newly-arrived-osiris-rex-spacecraft-already-discovers-water-asteroid
Image of asteroid Bennu photographed on Dec 2 via
NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona
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