From One Rock to Another
After covering over four billion miles and spanning over seven years, NASAโs space capsule OSIRIS-REx touched down in Utah carrying asteroid samples. On September 8th, 2016, OSIRIS-REx was launched from Florida for a long journey to Bennu, a near-Earth asteroid that passes by Earth every six years. For the first time in NASA history, they used Bennu to successfully capture and deliver an asteroid sample. The mission has given scientists the potential to explore the origins of our solar system, while also helping protect Earth from any asteroid collisions in the future. Last year, NASA also launched its DART Mission, successfully changing another asteroidโs motion through impact.
Outside of measures to stop this catastrophe, the OSIRIS-REx mission has a chance to confirm a hypothesis about the creation of life on Earth. From Japanโs own asteroid-sample retrieval missions, they confirmed the existence of two organic compounds from Ryugu, another near-Earth asteroid. Several believe that through impacts from celestial objects like asteroids, Earth was seeded with primordial ingredients for life to be possible. The sample, which weighs 250 grams compared to Japanโs previous 5 grams, will be examined by over 60 laboratories across the world. Regardless, whether it be exploring the unknown, solving age-old mysteries, or protecting the Earth, NASA has made historic strides and will continue to with its future Artemis missions alongside Elon Muskโs SpaceX.
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I am not a financial advisor and my comments should never be taken as financial advice. Investments come with risk, so always do your research and analysis beforehand.