<
https://theconversation.com/new-analysis-of-asteroid-dust-reveals-evidence-of-salty-water-in-the-early-solar-system-248439>
"In October 2020, a van-sized robotic spacecraft briefly touched down on the
surface of Bennu, a 525-metre-wide asteroid 320 million kilometres from Earth.
As part of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, the spacecraft not only spent two years
orbiting and imaging the asteroid, it also collected a precious sample of dust
and small rocks from Bennu’s rubbly surface.
In September 2023, a capsule containing the pristine asteroid sample returned
to Earth, landing in the Utah desert in the United States.
Since then, an international team of scientists – of which we are members –
have been busy studying the roughly 120 grams of material collected from Bennu.
Our findings are revealed in two new papers published in
Nature and
Nature
Astronomy today. They indicate that water may have once been present on
Bennu’s parent body, and offer new insights into the chemistry of the early
Solar System."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
