NASA’s asteroid sample mission set to return to Earth later this year

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — After seven years in action, an asteroid sampling mission will make its way back to Earth this fall.

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NASA’s Osiris-Rex spacecraft will bring back rocks and dust collected from the near-earth asteroid Bennu.

Scientists believe those samples will help them investigate how planets are formed and how life begins.

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It may also improve their understanding of asteroids that could one day threaten Earth.

“The science team will be looking at a quarter of the sample to understand the origin of the solar system, hopefully, the elements of the origin of life on Earth,” NASA officials said.

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That asteroid sample is scheduled to land in the Utah desert on Sep. 24, but the spacecraft itself will continue its next mission, studying another asteroid.

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