Seven years after it blasted into space to snag a sample of an asteroid, a spacecraft is set to deliver its rare cargo on Sunday -- and Canada is getting a piece of the interstellar bounty.
The NASA-led mission launched OSIRIS-REx into space in 2016 to collect from the surface of an asteroid material that scientists hope will offer them insight into the formation of the solar system. The spacecraft began orbiting the asteroid -- called Bennu -- in 2018 and grabbed a sample in 2020.
"In total, we laid down more than three billion measurements ... so this now provides a very highly precise map of the asteroid, Dickinson told a recent news conference. "And so this is how we're able to study the raw ingredients of the solar system as they were billions and billions and billions of years ago," Haltigin said.The mission selected Bennu because it was close enough to reach and large enough from which to secure a sample -- and also because of what it is made of.
"We're not on the same timeline as NASA to receive the sample -- that's been understood since the beginning," said Caroline-Emmanuelle Morisset, program scientist, space exploration development with the CSA. "The sample will reside at NASA for a time before it's transferred to Canada."
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Canada to get rare asteroid sample after OSIRIS-REx drops cargo to Earth on SundayMONTREAL — Seven years after it blasted into space to snag a sample of an asteroid, a spacecraft is set to deliver its rare cargo on Sunday — and Canada is getting a piece of the interstellar bounty.
Read more »
Canada to get rare asteroid sample after OSIRIS-REx drops cargo to Earth on SundayMONTREAL — Seven years after it blasted into space to snag a sample of an asteroid, a spacecraft is set to deliver its rare cargo on Sunday — and Canada is getting a piece of the interstellar bounty.
Read more »
Canada to get rare asteroid sample after OSIRIS-REx drops cargo to Earth on SundayMONTREAL — Seven years after it blasted into space to snag a sample of an asteroid, a spacecraft is set to deliver its rare cargo on Sunday — and Canada is getting a piece of the interstellar bounty.
Read more »
Canada to get rare asteroid sample after OSIRIS-REx drops cargo to Earth on SundayMONTREAL — Seven years after it blasted into space to snag a sample of an asteroid, a spacecraft is set to deliver its rare cargo on Sunday — and Canada is getting a piece of the interstellar bounty.
Read more »
NASA’s first asteroid sample coming to Earth. What could it uncover?The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is expected to land in the United States on Sunday carrying 250g of rock and dust from the surface of asteroid Bennu for scientific research.
Read more »
Giant metal T-Rex assumes lookout over PentictonAlice stands about seven metres tall and 15 metres long and weighs more than five tonnes. She is visible to the public from the Kettle Valley Rail Trail.
Read more »