2023-09-30 15:00:16
Canada will obtain part of the sample from the asteroid Bennu thanks to the Canadian Space Agency’s (CSA) contribution to the OSIRIS-REx mission.
NASA’s sample return capsule landed in the Utah desert, United States, on the morning of September 24.
The asteroid will be studied by scientists and might provide answers to some questions regarding the history of the Solar System, as well as the origin of water and life on Earth.
The sample will first be sent to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston for its conservation and to predict its distribution around the world. CSA specialists and Canadian researchers will then participate in the selection of the part that will be allocated to Canada, whose arrival at the John H. Chapman Space Center is planned for 2024.
Canada will become the fifth country to receive and store a sample taken in space.
“The OSIRIS-REx mission allows Canada to pave the way for extraordinary research and scientific discoveries for generations to come, while distinguishing itself as a world leader thanks to the efforts of its internationally renowned researchers,” said noted François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, by press release.
Remember that Canada’s OLA laser altimeter played a key role in the mission. This lidar scanned the entirety of Bennu to determine its shape and surface characteristics, which allowed scientists to select the best sampling site. (N.P.)
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