NASA Targets Asteroid Heading For Earth

And it's official - next month NASA will launch a probe to the asteroid Bennu - which some astronomers think could smash its way into the earth sometime over the next hundred or so years.

The probe - which is named OSIRIS-REX - will take two years to reach Bennu - after which time it will spend 505 days mapping out its surface from a distance of 5 kilometers.

OSIRIS will also take a small sample from Bennu's surface and return it to earth sometime around 2023.

Scientists hope the sample will tell them more about the materials that made up the solar system millions of years ago.

It could also help give them more information about Bennu and help prepare for its still possible crash landing on Earth.

And while that's all well and good - where's Bruce Willis when you need him?

Comments

Mark J. Saulys's picture
Mark J. Saulys 6 years 42 weeks ago
#1

I think Jill Stein would handle the asteroid situation better.

Willie W's picture
Willie W 6 years 42 weeks ago
#2

​ROCK ON, NASA !!!

mcowley01's picture
mcowley01 6 years 42 weeks ago
#3

A more imminent threat than Bennu to the planet is Trump, what are NASA's plans for him?

Jussmartenuf's picture
Jussmartenuf 6 years 42 weeks ago
#4

The technology to do all this is phenomenol. Now where is the technology to stop the human creature from producing more billions of us and preventing us from destroying the earths eco system and ourselves in the process before Bennu does?

Queenbeethatsme's picture
Queenbeethatsme 6 years 42 weeks ago
#5

The world is supposed to end sooner due to global warming. So going to ignore the asteroid and "the sky is falling" hyperbole.

Queenbeethatsme's picture
Queenbeethatsme 6 years 42 weeks ago
#6

Jill Stein cannot handle anything better. Presidents SUGGEST. CONGRESS acts. In order for Presidential suggestions to turn into LAWS. A President must win a majority vote in Congress.

What party and therefore members of Congress does Stein control?

In order for laws to be enacted, state legislatures must adopt them and put them into practice. WHAT state does Stein (or any other Independent) control or have a party infrastructure in them?

If you think existing federal, state, county, and city governments will listen to, respect or follow a third party candidate with no party of her own to enforce, then you have no idea how governments work or go into chaos.

I've been an Independent for almost 40 years. WE HAVE no party, no political infrastructure, no cohesive platform, and no Congressional power.

Independents have the power to drive or influence elections.. but we cannot rule and if ever a 3rd party candidate came to power, the two parties and their hundreds of thousands of employees and appointees would sabotage and destroy local governments to make the public regret the audacity of trying to put 3rd party candidates into power.

Stein would be a lame duck, Trump might also be a lame duck.

SKI's picture
SKI 6 years 41 weeks ago
#7

Two quick points. Bennu is not set to hit the Earth 'sometime over the next hundred or so years.' It is set to pass about 300,000 miles from Earth in the year 2135. At that time its path will determine IF it will be likely (a 1 in 2,700 chance) to strike the Earth sometime between 2175 and 2196. And by collecting, and returning to Earth, a sample will help to learn about the solar system BILLIONS of years ago. Otherwise your spot on. Actually, I realish the chance to correct you. Even if it is a trivial point. Cheers.

Mytmike63's picture
Mytmike63 6 years 41 weeks ago
#8

We should let it hit. It would be a better death than dying from from the results of Hillary Clinton's worldwide fracking. Barack Obama's TPP deal.

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