The latest study of the surface of the asteroid Bennu shocked NASA scientists. This is new information about asteroid Bennu.
Asteroid Bennu has always proven unpredictable! However, let’s start from scratch. NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft visited and collected a sample from the asteroid Bennu in October 2020 and surprisingly scientists found something interesting about this asteroid. After analyzing data collected from samples of Asteroid Bennu, scientists discovered that the spacecraft would have sunk into Bennu if it hadn’t fired its thrusters to reverse shortly after it vacuumed up. and rocks from the asteroid’s surface.
Research reveals that Bennu’s building or surface particles are very loosely packed and lightly bound together. NASA even compare it to a pit of plastic balls! “..if a person steps on Bennu, they will feel very little resistance as if stepping into the plastic ball pit that is a popular children’s play area,” NASA said in a statement.
In addition, the scientists also looked at acceleration data collected during the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft’s landing on the asteroid’s surface. It shows the same drag as one would feel on a pile of plastic balls.
For the first time, when the NASA spacecraft arrived at Bennu, the asteroid surprised everyone with its surface being found littered with boulders instead of what they expected. Based on observations from The earth and space telescopes, its surface is expected to be smooth and full of sandy beaches. Another surprising fact about asteroid Bennu was revealed when scientists discovered that this asteroid is throwing rock particles into space!
And now, this latest observation of Bennu’s surface adds to the conspiracy that kept scientists on the sidelines during the OSIRIS-REx mission. Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal investigator said in a statement, “Our expectations for the asteroid face was completely wrong. What we see is a large wall of debris radiating from the sampling area. ”
The team of researchers analyzed the mass of debris visible in the before and after images of the sampling site of the Small planet Bennu, nicknamed “The Nightingale”.
