‘Asteroid City’ Cast Asks NASA About OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Mission

TL;DR

NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will release a capsule containing samples of asteroid Bennu in the Utah desert on September 24th, marking the first asteroid sample return mission beyond the Moon.

Transcript

The Asteroid City cast asks NASA. Hi, I'm Jason Schwartzman. I'm Jake Ryan. And I'm Scarlett Johansson. Where are you? Asteroid City.  Farm Route 6, mile 75.    Hey everyone, I'm Jeffrey Wright. Junior stargazers and space cadets, each  year we celebrate Asteroid Day. Hey everyone, I'm Maya Hawke. And I'm Rupert Friend. And we star in Wes Ande... Read More

Key Insights

• 💋 September 24th marks NASA's historic first asteroid sample return mission beyond the Moon.
• 🦖 The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will release a capsule containing samples from asteroid Bennu.
• 💁 Researchers will study the pristine asteroid samples to unlock insights on solar system formation, the origins of Earth's oceans, and the potential for asteroids to deliver the building blocks of life.
• ❓ Studying meteorite fragments on Earth is challenging due to contamination and unknown origins.
• 💁 Pristine asteroid samples will provide valuable data on the solar system's history and rewrite textbooks on its formation.
• ❓ The samples will be kept in a specialized curation facility at NASA's Johnson Space Center.
• 🛟 The mission is monumental in NASA's pursuit of answering fundamental questions about the origins of life and the solar system.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the significance of September 24th in relation to NASA's mission?

September 24th marks NASA's first asteroid sample return mission beyond the Moon, with the release of a capsule containing samples from asteroid Bennu in the Utah desert.

Q: What will NASA be looking for within the asteroid sample?

Scientists will study the asteroid samples to analyze minerals, dissect rocks, examine mineral grains, search for water, and investigate organic compounds to understand solar system formation and the potential origins of life on Earth.

Q: Why can't scientists study meteorite fragments that land on Earth instead of going on a sample return mission?

Meteorite fragments can be contaminated and their origins are often unknown, making it difficult to conduct conclusive studies. NASA's mission aims to collect pristine asteroid materials for accurate analysis.

Q: How will NASA protect the asteroid sample once it's on Earth?

The samples will be transported to NASA's Johnson Space Center and housed in a special curation facility designed to maintain their safety and integrity for educational and scientific purposes.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• On September 24th, NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will release a capsule with samples from asteroid Bennu in the Utah desert, marking the first asteroid sample return mission beyond the Moon.

• The samples will be studied by scientists worldwide to understand the formation and evolution of the solar system, the origins of Earth's oceans, and the potential for asteroids to have delivered the building blocks of life to Earth.

• Unlike studying meteorites, which can be contaminated and of unknown origin, the pristine asteroid samples will provide valuable insights into the solar system's history.