SpaceExplorerMedia

101955 Bennu, also known as (101955) Bennu, is a notable near-Earth asteroid with a diameter of approximately 490 meters (1,608 feet). It was discovered on September 11, 1999, by the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) Project. Bennu has an orbital period of about 1.2 years and belongs to the Apollo group of asteroids, which means it crosses Earth's orbit. This asteroid is of significant scientific interest due to its composition; it is believed to be a primitive carbonaceous asteroid, rich in carbon and organic materials. One of the most prominent missions to Bennu is NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, which was launched in 2016 with the primary goal of studying this celestial body, collecting a sample from its surface, and returning it to Earth for in-depth analysis. In October 2020, OSIRIS-REx successfully collected a sample from Bennu, and it is scheduled to return to Earth with this precious sample in September 2023. Bennu's study is crucial for understanding the dynamics of near-Earth asteroids and provides valuable insights into the formation of our early solar system. Additionally, Bennu's proximity to Earth makes it an object of interest for potential future impact hazards and planetary defense research.