“Bennu” threatens the Earth with the force of 22 atomic bombs… Can NASA stop it?
Scientists at NASA have revealed that they are in advanced stages of their mission to prevent an asteroid collision with Earth with the force equivalent to 22 atomic bombs.
The asteroid known as “Bennu” passes close to Earth every 6 years, but it will be at its closest point after 159 years, and it could potentially collide with Earth on September 24, 2182.
Although the likelihood of a catastrophic impact is estimated at 1 in 2700, NASA launched a spacecraft to “Bennu” seven years ago to collect samples from it.
Scientists hope that this data will help them prepare for a mission to alter the asteroid’s course if necessary.
The OSIRIS-REx mission to collect samples from “Bennu” will reach Earth this week and land in the Utah desert on September 24 of this year. These samples will be used to study the asteroid’s composition and the origins of life on Earth.
“Bennu” is considered a small asteroid with a diameter of about 492 meters and does not pose a significant threat to Earth, but it could create a large crater if it were to collide.
Scientists view the mission of collecting and analyzing samples from “Bennu” as an opportunity to understand the formation of the solar system and the origins of life on Earth millions of years ago.
