One of the more exciting things NASA has done in recent memory is to investigate the surface of the asteroid Bennu. OSIRIS-Rex successfully made a short touch on the surface of the asteroid and created a set of specimens that will return to Earth for study. After orbiting the asteroid for a few years, some new data has now been released that will shed more light on the formation of the planet.
Researchers at the University of Colorado based on data obtained by the spacecraft revealed findings that it was in orbit for two years, indicating that the planet is potentially hollow. Daniel Shisher of the Department of Aerospace Engineering Science said it looks like the void in the asteroid center could catch up to some football fields.
The core of the asteroid appears weaker than the exterior, so long-term asteroid survival may be at risk. Skiers say that in a million years or less, entire asteroids could fly apart. By combining data recorded by OSIRIS-Rex, scientists could map different types of asteroids’ gravity, indicating that the solid and rocky assumptions inside are incorrect.
The team believes that the rotation of the asteroid may be responsible for the void inside. Over time, Bennu’s rotation speeds up, and he thinks he’s in the process of dismembering himself. Since the core has a low density, it is easy to separate from it as the whole asteroid spins. Now that the asteroid’s gravitational field has been measured, a team of scientists has completed its work on the OSIRIS-Rex mission.
The results of their work have contributed to the plan to analyze samples that will be returned to Earth by spacecraft. The current scheme will look at the samples analyzed to determine the harmony between the grains, which is a major physical property that affects the mass distribution seen in the study.
