NASA's OSIRIS-REx Mission: Protecting Earth from Bennu's Flyby and Potential Impact

NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission is providing valuable data to help scientists understand how to protect Earth from the potentially dangerous asteroid Bennu. Bennu has the highest known probability of hitting Earth in the next 200 years and could cause significant destruction if it were to collide with our planet. Although the chances of impact are currently slim, the data collected by OSIRIS-REx will play a crucial role in shaping a potential deflection mission if needed. The mission has revealed surprising characteristics of Bennu, including its low-density surface and porous, sponge-like rocks, which could affect its response to a collision avoidance attempt. The asteroid sample collected by OSIRIS-REx is set to land on Earth this Sunday, providing further insights for future generations.