The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., marked a notable event with the debut of a piece of asteroid Bennu. This sample is part of the collection returned to Earth by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, which completed its journey by landing in Utah. At the unveiling, a small rock from Bennu, measuring roughly 0.3 inches in diameter, was presented, surrounded by scale models of the OSIRIS-REx probe and the rocket that launched it.
The CT scan of the Bennu fragment revealed that it was composed of several small rocks bonded together, showing alterations by water. This sample, along with another piece loaned for scientific study, represents the beginning of an effort to better understand our planet and its cosmic environment.
Future plans include the display of additional Bennu materials at other locations. The University of Arizona’s Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum in Tucson and Space Center Houston in Texas, near NASA’s Johnson Space Center, are set to exhibit two more Bennu fragments. While specific opening dates for these exhibits are not confirmed, they may open as soon as mid-November.
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