Initial analysis of the sample from asteroid Bennu, returned by NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, confirms it is rich in carbon and water-bearing clay minerals. This composition supports the theory that asteroids like Bennu may have delivered key ingredients for life to early Earth.
The sample, the largest ever returned to Earth from an asteroid, contains a high percentage of carbon by weight, along with a diverse suite of organic compounds. Scientists from NASA's Johnson Space Center are leading the detailed analysis, which reveals a complex chemical patchwork within the asteroid's material.
Bennu is a primitive, carbon-rich asteroid that has remained largely unchanged since the solar system's formation over 4.5 billion years ago. The OSIRIS-REx mission collected the sample in 2020, and it landed in Utah in September 2023. The ongoing study of these pristine materials provides a unique window into the early solar system and the prebiotic chemistry that could have led to the origin of life.
