Planets and Moons ID: 11910

Studying an Asteroid on Earth

Released on June 30, 2015

Astrobiologists like Jason Dworkin are keenly interested in the origins of life on Earth, but the evidence that they seek was erased long ago by Earth’s geology and chemistry. Fortunately, asteroids like Bennu preserve the solar system’s earliest ingredients - including the carbon-based building blocks of life - which can be retrieved and studied by scientists in a lab on Earth. That’s why NASA is sending a spacecraft called OSIRIS-REx to explore asteroid Bennu and bring back a sample. The material collected by OSIRIS-REx will provide a wealth of data for future generations of scientists, shedding light on one of the solar system's biggest mysteries.

Learn more about the OSIRIS-REx mission to asteroid Bennu.

Learn more about the Astrobiology Analytical Laboratory at NASA Goddard.

Source Material

For More Information

http://www.asteroidmission.org/

NASA.gov

Credits

Dan Gallagher (USRA):
Producer
Editor

Jason Dworkin (NASA/GSFC):
Scientist
Interviewee

Chris Meaney (HTSI):
Animator

Michael Lentz (USRA):
Animator

Walt Feimer (HTSI):
Animator

Rob Andreoli (Advocates in Manpower Management, Inc.):
Videographer

Chris Smith (Self):
Videographer

John Caldwell (Advocates in Manpower Management, Inc.):
Production Assistant

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

Short URL to share this page:
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/11910

Mission:
OSIRIS-REX

This item is part of this series:
Narrated Movies

Goddard TV Tape:
G2015-008 -- OSIRIS-REx Overview

Keywords:
SVS >> Asteroid
SVS >> HDTV
SVS >> Astrobiology
SVS >> Laboratory
SVS >> Planetary Science
SVS >> OSIRIS-REx
NASA Science >> Planets and Moons
SVS >> Bennu
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Solid Earth >> Rocks/minerals/crystals >> Meteorites
SVS >> Lab

GCMD keywords can be found on the Internet with the following citation: Olsen, L.M., G. Major, K. Shein, J. Scialdone, S. Ritz, T. Stevens, M. Morahan, A. Aleman, R. Vogel, S. Leicester, H. Weir, M. Meaux, S. Grebas, C.Solomon, M. Holland, T. Northcutt, R. A. Restrepo, R. Bilodeau, 2013. NASA/Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Earth Science Keywords. Version 8.0.0.0.0