NASA scientists have recently disclosed that they are in the final stages of their mission aimed at preventing a potential asteroid impact on Earth, predicted to occur 159 years from now.
According to experts, the asteroid in question, named Bennu, poses a potential threat and could collide with Earth on 24th September 2182.
Since this event is set for the late 22nd century, there is no need for immediate concern. Bennu, which orbits Earth every six years, is only half the size of the asteroid thought to have caused the extinction of dinosaurs.
While an impact from Bennu would cause significant devastation within a 600-mile radius of the crash site, it lacks the scale to cause global extinction. NASA has been actively working on strategies to change Bennu’s trajectory and prevent a collision, with the mission currently in its concluding phases.
Although there is a slim chance of 1 in 2,700 of this catastrophic event occurring, experts are not taking any risks and are deeply concerned about the slight probability.
In response, NASA took proactive measures seven years ago by launching a spacecraft to Bennu. The mission’s objective is to collect samples, with the hope that the acquired data can aid in averting the potential catastrophe, should it happen in the future.
Researchers theorize that Bennu, a relic from our solar system’s ancient past, holds a history spanning over 4.5 billion years.
Originally designated as 1999 RQ36, the asteroid was renamed Bennu in 2013. This change occurred after a contest was held, and a third-grade student named Michael Puzio emerged as the winner, proposing the name Bennu.
Samples from the OSIRIS-REx mission have arrived on Earth last week. A capsule, the size of a fridge, containing samples collected by the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft were sent hurtling towards Earth.
The mission’s discoveries could offer insights into Earth’s origins and potentially safeguard the planet from future catastrophic collisions.