The NASA Osiris-Rex mission successfully returned a capsule containing 250 grams of samples from the asteroid Bennu to Earth, landing in the Utah desert. Experts from NASA described the capsule as a “time capsule”, emphasizing that the samples could provide insights into the Solar System’s origins and the building blocks of life. Initial images indicate the capsule is intact upon landing.
The Osiris-Rex had released the capsule three hours earlier, marking the end of its current mission. The samples from Bennu are particularly valuable as they may contain elements essential for life, a conclusion supported by seven studies published in March 2023 in the journal Nature.
The spacecraft, launched in 2016, collected its samples from Bennu in October 2020. It is now set for its next mission to the asteroid Apophis, which it’s expected to reach in April 2029. Notably, the mission utilized Italian technology, including a special “compass” and an infrared sensor made by Leonardo, an Italian multinational company that’s among the top ten global players in aerospace, defense, and security. Headquartered in Rome, Italy, the firm has a significant industrial presence in several countries.
