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The asteroid Bennu is a 1,650-foot-wide (500-meter-wide) space-rock that could end up collision course with the Earth over the next century
Hurtling across the space at incredible speeds, the asteroid is currently at a safe distance from our planet and lies about 54 million miles away. But in 2135, the asteroid Bennu has a 2700 chance of becoming a threat and crushing on Earth.
Do not worry though, NASA is moving and, as reported on Inquisitr has already planned to attack the asteroid on this fateful date.
However, before releasing nuclear bombs, the space agency first wants to study the asteroid and even hang rock samples for future analyzes.
Enter the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, abbreviation for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer. Launched on September 8, 2016, the space probe was sent to pursue Bennu and is expected to reach the asteroid later this year, December 3.
The mission OSIRIS-REx
The spacecraft mission is to orbit Bennu and collect as much data as possible over the rock of space, notes Space . Once this part of the work is complete, OSIRIS-REx will dive on the surface of the asteroid in July 2020 to take physical samples in the 87 million tonne space rock.
Asteroid samples must be packed a special capsule and returned to Earth in September 2023. Once this happens, scientists will be able to learn more about this potentially dangerous asteroid.
But we still have a long way to go before that date, and the main concern Right now, OSIRIS-REx is coming to Bennu.
For this purpose, the spacecraft recently carried out a combustion engine maneuver, pulling its main thruster to adjust its speed of 37 mph (60 km / h), NASA announced. the beginning of the week.
NASA Spacecraft refines the course towards the big asteroid Bennu https://t.co/q09oN7Wgb1 pic.twitter.com/bVQen6thnM
– SPACE.com (@SPACEdotcom) 6 July 2018
Conducted on June 28, the procedure is the second Deep Space Maneuver (DSM-2) successfully completed by OSIRIS-REx since the spacecraft began its journey to the asteroid Bennu, notes the US Space Agency. OSIRIS-REx arrived three months after its launch, in December 2016. Meanwhile, the spacecraft made a number of small throws of propellants last September, when OSIRIS-REx performed an overflight of the Earth in anticipation of a gravitational assistance maneuver.
While the DSM-2 has cost the spacecraft about 12.8 kilograms of fuel, the procedure is a necessary step that opens the way for another type of maneuver designed to facilitate its approach to Bennu, said the NASA officials. 19659018] "Propeller thrust sets the spacecraft on the road for a series of asteroid approach maneuvers to be executed this fall that will culminate with the scheduled arrival of the spacecraft at the spacecraft. Asteroid Bennu on 3 December. "
There will be four maneuvering asteroids In total, procedures are planned and should take place this fall, the first being scheduled for the beginning of October. Called Asteroid Approach Maneuver 1 (AAM-1), this procedure will allow OSIRIS-REx to reduce its speed compared to Bennu from 1,130 mph to 320 mph (1,820 to 515 km / h).
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