asteroid Bennu is a fascinating object it records our solar system’s earliest
it records our solar system’s earliest
it records our solar system’s earliest history contains information about the
history contains information about the
history contains information about the origins of life and has uncertainties in
origins of life and has uncertainties in
origins of life and has uncertainties in its orbit that leaves a small
its orbit that leaves a small
its orbit that leaves a small possibility of impacting earth late in
possibility of impacting earth late in
possibility of impacting earth late in the 22nd century these properties make
the 22nd century these properties make
the 22nd century these properties make Benny the perfect target for NASA’s
Benny the perfect target for NASA’s
Benny the perfect target for NASA’s osiris-rex asteroid sample return
osiris-rex asteroid sample return
osiris-rex asteroid sample return mission it’s a great adventure to
mission it’s a great adventure to
mission it’s a great adventure to explore in unknown world we’re gonna
explore in unknown world we’re gonna
explore in unknown world we’re gonna reach out and touch it and we’re gonna
reach out and touch it and we’re gonna
reach out and touch it and we’re gonna bring treasure back to earth for
bring treasure back to earth for
bring treasure back to earth for scientific analysis to me it doesn’t get
scientific analysis to me it doesn’t get
scientific analysis to me it doesn’t get any more exciting than that
there is a huge scientific payoff of
there is a huge scientific payoff of delivering a sample of asteroid Bennu
delivering a sample of asteroid Bennu
delivering a sample of asteroid Bennu directly into the hands of scientists we
directly into the hands of scientists we
directly into the hands of scientists we want to understand the origin of the
want to understand the origin of the
want to understand the origin of the earth the origin of the moon the other
earth the origin of the moon the other
earth the origin of the moon the other terrestrial planets but the earliest
terrestrial planets but the earliest
terrestrial planets but the earliest histories of those bodies is wiped out
histories of those bodies is wiped out
histories of those bodies is wiped out the asteroids record the earliest stages
the asteroids record the earliest stages
the asteroids record the earliest stages of the solar system so it really is a
of the solar system so it really is a
of the solar system so it really is a time capsule from the very dawn of the
time capsule from the very dawn of the
time capsule from the very dawn of the history of our solar system my dream is
history of our solar system my dream is
history of our solar system my dream is that we find something that’s unique
that we find something that’s unique
that we find something that’s unique that’s not represented in our meteorite
that’s not represented in our meteorite
that’s not represented in our meteorite collection and is really organic rich
collection and is really organic rich
collection and is really organic rich material on the surfaces asteroid that
material on the surfaces asteroid that
material on the surfaces asteroid that holds all kinds of scientific treasures
holds all kinds of scientific treasures
holds all kinds of scientific treasures about origin life and organic molecular
about origin life and organic molecular
about origin life and organic molecular evolution in the solar system in
evolution in the solar system in
evolution in the solar system in addition to the planetary science
addition to the planetary science
addition to the planetary science sending a spacecraft to asteroid Bennu
sending a spacecraft to asteroid Bennu
sending a spacecraft to asteroid Bennu will let us better understand the orbit
will let us better understand the orbit
will let us better understand the orbit of this near-earth object Venu is four
of this near-earth object Venu is four
of this near-earth object Venu is four to five thousand times more massive than
to five thousand times more massive than
to five thousand times more massive than the meteor that exploded above Chile
the meteor that exploded above Chile
the meteor that exploded above Chile ovens Grusha
ovens Grusha
ovens Grusha in 2013 and there’s a small chance that
in 2013 and there’s a small chance that
in 2013 and there’s a small chance that Ben who could hit us late in the next
Ben who could hit us late in the next
Ben who could hit us late in the next century depending on how its orbit
century depending on how its orbit
century depending on how its orbit evolved in order to accurately predict
evolved in order to accurately predict
evolved in order to accurately predict its future orbital evolution we have to
its future orbital evolution we have to
its future orbital evolution we have to not only understand the force of gravity
not only understand the force of gravity
not only understand the force of gravity but thermal forces on the asteroid can
but thermal forces on the asteroid can
but thermal forces on the asteroid can significantly alter its future path so
significantly alter its future path so
significantly alter its future path so we’re gonna study not only the thermal
we’re gonna study not only the thermal
we’re gonna study not only the thermal emission coming off of Venu but we’re
emission coming off of Venu but we’re
emission coming off of Venu but we’re also gonna build up a global model to
also gonna build up a global model to
also gonna build up a global model to make sure we understand the theory that
make sure we understand the theory that
make sure we understand the theory that underlies this and so that we can use it
underlies this and so that we can use it
underlies this and so that we can use it to accurately predict where Ben is going
to accurately predict where Ben is going
to accurately predict where Ben is going to be in the future and apply it to
to be in the future and apply it to
to be in the future and apply it to other potentially hazardous asteroids to
other potentially hazardous asteroids to
other potentially hazardous asteroids to really help us understand the impact
really help us understand the impact
really help us understand the impact hazard
hazard
hazard osiris-rex will launch in September 2016
osiris-rex will launch in September 2016
osiris-rex will launch in September 2016 and arrive at asteroid Bennu in 2018
and arrive at asteroid Bennu in 2018
and arrive at asteroid Bennu in 2018 once the team is ready they will use the
once the team is ready they will use the
once the team is ready they will use the touch-and-go sample acquisition
touch-and-go sample acquisition
touch-and-go sample acquisition mechanism tagged Sam to grab a sample
mechanism tagged Sam to grab a sample
mechanism tagged Sam to grab a sample off the surface we have a unique design
off the surface we have a unique design
off the surface we have a unique design where we put this tag Sam device onto
where we put this tag Sam device onto
where we put this tag Sam device onto the surface of the asteroid and then we
the surface of the asteroid and then we
the surface of the asteroid and then we blow down high-pressure nitrogen gas
blow down high-pressure nitrogen gas
blow down high-pressure nitrogen gas kind of add to take the soil and then
kind of add to take the soil and then
kind of add to take the soil and then basically scoop it up in a giant air
basically scoop it up in a giant air
basically scoop it up in a giant air filter that whole process takes five
filter that whole process takes five
filter that whole process takes five seconds so it’s kind of get in get the
seconds so it’s kind of get in get the
seconds so it’s kind of get in get the sample and get out of there there’s good
sample and get out of there there’s good
sample and get out of there there’s good reason to think this approach will work
reason to think this approach will work
reason to think this approach will work what are the challenges of sampling an
what are the challenges of sampling an
what are the challenges of sampling an asteroid is navigating in a low gravity
asteroid is navigating in a low gravity
asteroid is navigating in a low gravity environment and with so little gravity
environment and with so little gravity
environment and with so little gravity objects have a tendency to bounce our
objects have a tendency to bounce our
objects have a tendency to bounce our design is to bounce off the surface of
design is to bounce off the surface of
design is to bounce off the surface of the asteroid in fact we’ve got a spring
the asteroid in fact we’ve got a spring
the asteroid in fact we’ve got a spring in the forearm of our tanks and device
in the forearm of our tanks and device
in the forearm of our tanks and device which is acting lid
which is acting lid
which is acting lid like a pogo stick to push us off the
like a pogo stick to push us off the
like a pogo stick to push us off the surface of the asteroid after we make
surface of the asteroid after we make
surface of the asteroid after we make that initial contact so from everything
that initial contact so from everything
that initial contact so from everything that I’ve seen trying to bounce off the
that I’ve seen trying to bounce off the
that I’ve seen trying to bounce off the surface of the asteroid is the easiest
surface of the asteroid is the easiest
surface of the asteroid is the easiest way to get that material once osiris-rex
way to get that material once osiris-rex
way to get that material once osiris-rex delivers the asteroid sample to Earth in
delivers the asteroid sample to Earth in
delivers the asteroid sample to Earth in 2023 it will have brought back the
2023 it will have brought back the
2023 it will have brought back the largest sample of an extraterrestrial
largest sample of an extraterrestrial
largest sample of an extraterrestrial body since the Apollo missions and like
body since the Apollo missions and like
body since the Apollo missions and like the moon rocks from Apollo this sample
the moon rocks from Apollo this sample
the moon rocks from Apollo this sample will be studied for decades to come with
will be studied for decades to come with
will be studied for decades to come with ever increasing technology this is
ever increasing technology this is
ever increasing technology this is really a treasure of information about
really a treasure of information about
really a treasure of information about the history of our solar system and will
the history of our solar system and will
the history of our solar system and will not only solve the scientific questions
not only solve the scientific questions
not only solve the scientific questions that we’re asking today but those that
that we’re asking today but those that
that we’re asking today but those that people will be asking for many
people will be asking for many
people will be asking for many generations into the future
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