OSIRIS-REx Sheds Light on Hazardous Asteroid Bennu

The video discusses the challenges in predicting the trajectory of asteroid Bennu due to gravitational and non-gravitational forces, such as the Yarkovsky effect. It highlights the potential impact scenarios if Bennu passes through gravitational keyholes. The Osiris Rex mission significantly improved our understanding of Bennu, reducing uncertainties in its predicted orbit and ruling out several impact scenarios. This research helps in better modeling Bennu's orbital evolution and assessing future risks.

What makes predicting Bennu's future path difficult?

• Bennu's orbit is too far from Earth to observe.

• Earth's gravity and non-gravitational forces like the Yarkovsky effect.

• The asteroid is moving too fast to calculate its trajectory.

• The asteroid's size is too small to track.

How does the Yarkovsky effect influence an asteroid's path?

• It exerts a small thrust on the asteroid, altering its direction.

• It makes the asteroid larger over time.

• It changes the asteroid's color.

• It causes the asteroid to spin faster.

What are gravitational keyholes?

• Points in space where time slows down.

• Locations where asteroids are formed.

• Areas where an asteroid's path can be altered to cause an impact.

• Regions in space where gravity is absent.

Why did NASA send the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft to Bennu?

• To destroy the asteroid before it reaches Earth.

• To improve our understanding of Bennu's properties and orbit.

• To find new life forms on Bennu.

• To collect samples for mining purposes.

What was one of the outcomes of the OSIRIS-REx mission?

• It found water on Bennu.

• It discovered a new asteroid belt.

• It ruled out several potential impact scenarios.

• It confirmed Bennu will impact Earth in 2135.