NASA’s Osiris-Rex spacecraft has been studying the asteroid Bennu since 2016 and made some startling discoveries. The most recent discovery of a giant 492-meter asteroid is evidence of an ancient river.
Scientists have found carbon-bearing, organic matter is widespread on the surface of asteroids.
On Earth, the same process is carried out by rivers flowing for millions of years.
This suggests that Bennu was at one time part of a larger body, mostly a planet, where flowing water was abundant.
NASA is set to collect samples from Bennu this month, which will return to Earth in 2023, and the space agency will analyze the evidence to see if there are any organic compounds – a sign of life.
“The abundance of carbon-bearing material is a major scientific victory for the mission,” said Dr. Dante Lure Retta, chief investigator at OSIRIS-Rex at the University of Arizona in Tucson.
“We are now hopeful that the central goal of the OCRIS-Rex mission – we will collect and return the sample with organic matter.”
By analyzing the visible and infrared spectrometer images of OSIRIS-Rex, scientists discovered “veins of carbonate” on the surface of Bennu.
The research, published in the journal Science, states: “If the veins on Bennu were carbonate, the fluid flow and hydrothermal deployment on Bennu’s parent body would have been on scales for thousands to millions of years.”
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The space agency continued: “The authors of the special collection have also determined that carbonate minerals form some of the geographic features of asteroids.
“Carbonate minerals are often removed from hydrothermal systems that contain both water and carbon dioxide.
“A number of Bennu stones have bright veins that appear to be composed of carbonate – some of which are located near the nightingale pit, meaning that carbonate may be present in the returning specimen.”
