After more than two years of travel, the NASA spacecraft OSIRIS-REx reaches the smallest planet Bennu, the earth could be used in the future to be dangerous.
The NASA spacecraft OSIRIS-REx is after a number of braking manoeuvres at the 3. December, the smallest planet or asteroid 101955 Bennu in its orbit swung arrived. Two years ago, on 8. September 2016, was launched the probe at Cape Canaveral in the U.S. state of Florida aboard an Atlas V 411 rocket.
OSIRIS-REx stands for”Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security – Regolith Explorer asteroid sample return mission” (origins, spectral Interpretation, resource exploration, security – Regolith Explorer asteroid samples return mission).
To asteroid-more-missions: Lander: Mission accomplished!
To measure, take samples, fly back
The bulky Name describes quite accurately the various tasks of the probe: First of all, you will orbit the asteroid for about a year and detailed measure. In the framework of the investigation, the probe is expected to make available land places. The last task of the probe is then, on the asteroid to put on, and to take with a robotic arm, a sample.
OSIRIS-REx will touch Bennu’s robotic arm, and then with a nitrogen-jet Rock extract.
The Arm should touch for about five seconds, the surface and nitrogen in the Rock bubbles. So to solve small pieces and put them in a container for the land. The probe has enough nitrogen on Board to three Attempts for sampling. The researchers want to collect 60 grams and two kilograms of Material.
The Rosetta: a curtain on the last act
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Projectiles from spaceSurprise guest from the space
The Asteroid in 2018 CB was only discovered at the weekend, and out of touch. On 9. February at 23.30 CET happens to us, the cold stone in a distance of 64,000 kilometers. As of 2018 CB looks like exactly, we do not know. Sure is, with a diameter between 15 and 40 meters, it belongs to asteroids tend to be small.
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Projectiles from spacePipsqueak
Even smaller was the Asteroid 2012 TC4, the us at 12.October 2017, after a short visit paid. Its diameter was only between 10 and 20 meters. The Observatory in Hawaii discovered it in the year 2012.
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Projectiles from spaceSeveral kilometers thick
At the beginning of September 2017 Florence flew past the earth: 4.4 km in diameter, a huge chunk. “Fly,” however, is relative – the distance amounted to seven million kilometers. The Asteroid was discovered in 1981 and sister Florence Nightingale, according to the British ill-named, who lived from 1820 to 1910.
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Projectiles from spaceJust past
In February 2013, a 130,000-tonne Asteroid called 2012 DA14 pass near the earth. He came up to 27,000 kilometres of our planet – closer than some satellites.
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Projectiles from spaceMeteorites are not dangerous
As a meteorite is referred to asteroids and other heavenly bodies, which permeate the earth’s atmosphere and on the ground to follow. Then they can cause serious devastation.
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Projectiles from spaceGiant Meteorite
A gigantic meteorite struck about 65 million years ago on the Yucatan Peninsula. The resulting Chicxulub crater has a diameter of 300 kilometers. Experts believe that this impact wiped out the dinosaurs.
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Projectiles from spaceBlack Stones
Meteorites resemble visually, the stones of the earth, but the outside a little burnt. This crust is formed when the meteorite is melted upon entering the earth’s atmosphere.
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Projectiles from spaceComets and shooting stars
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Projectiles from spaceShooting star rain
A comet flies close to the earth, falling countless shooting stars on the earth. It is a remarkable spectacle, if it is raining shooting stars, such as Stonehenge in England.
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Projectiles from spaceSafe is safe
The European space Agency, opened in 2013 in the Italian Frascati is a co-ordination centre for near earth objects. Data from telescopes like this on the island of Tenerife, flow together there.
A small celestial body – but it’s big enough to be dangerous
The landing and departure maneuvers is only possible in that the Asteroid is comparatively small. Because he is so small, he has only a minimal gravity. Its diameter is less than 500 meters. But that could still have serious consequences, if Bennu should at some point meet once more on the earth.
Astronomical calculations have shown that a collision could, in theory, be between the years 2169 and 2199. Although the probability is then only just 0.07 percent. But this should be enough to arouse the researchers interest. The more we know about Bennu, the better it is for us.
Asteroids as a hazard:Unexpected visit scars on the earth
In addition to the manipulator arm for sampling OSIRIS-REx, five additional measuring equipment on Board
The name selected, in the student competition
By the way: The name of Bennu, the Asteroid that was discovered in 1999, until 2013. NASA has selected from more than 8000 students-proposals.
In time for the March 2021, the probe must have collected the Material. Then a window opens for the return of the probe back to earth. If everything succeeds, to arrive, the samples in September 2023 on the earth.
This image of Bennu took a shot of the probe at the end of October with your telescope PolyCam from 330 miles away.
Cameras, spectrometers, and Laser
In order to fulfil his tasks, OSIRIS-REx is equipped with five instruments: First, the camera unit OCAMS is there. It actually consists of three separate cameras: A camera is to map the asteroid. The second has a 20-inch telescope. You can shoot the asteroids from a distance, in the vicinity but also microscopically detailed images of the surface supply. Thirdly, there is the sampling camera SamCam. Your task is to photograph the sample in a short image sequence and document that you was successful.
Other instruments are a Laser Altimeter (OLA) to measure the surface conditions, a Thermal-Emission spectrometer (OTES), which is intended to provide information about the mineral structure of the asteroid, and a spectrometer for visible and infra-red light (OVIRS). The whole is complemented by an x-ray spectrometer (REXIS), to the structure of the Regolith, i.e., the rock.
And if some still comes out, that Bennu is taking a course for earth? Then enough time to send a new rocket, the asteroid is safe. In the case of the mean, however, that the missile is on a collision course with Bennu: soon enough, a short violent shock, and the trajectory of changes in the long term, so that Bennu is no longer a danger to the earth.
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