Dangerous asteroid dust lands on Earth after 7 year trip and Nasa thinks it could unlock the truth about our existence
A CAPSULE containing dust from the Solar System’s most dangerous asteroid has landed on Earth after travelling in space for seven years.
The capsule carries precious material of the Bennu asteroid and Nasa thinks it could unlock the truth of our existence.
Bennu is said to be the most dangerous rock in the Solar System as its path gives it the highest probability of impacting Earth of any known asteroid.
Nasa confirmed the sample landed safely at the Utah Test and Training Range shortly before 4pm UK time.
The successful landing was met with a round of applause by scientists from the control room.
“This marks the US’s first sample return mission of its kind and will open a time capsule to the beginnings of our solar system,” the American space agency said.
Experts are now trying to carefully recover the “dangerous” asteroid capsule as it could still be extremely hot and containing toxic gases.
Gas readings and samples of both the air and ground around the capsule continue to be taken, the BBC reports.
A parachute helped slow the descent of the sample and was seen at the landing site.
Scientists estimate the probe has 250g of dust onboard – which will be analysed by researchers around the world.
Nasa Administrator Bill Nelson thanked all of those involved in the mission.
“You designed it, you built it .. it’s the largest asteroid sample ever received on Earth [and] it shows that Nasa does big things,” he told the space agency’s special broadcast.
“Things that inspire us. Things that unite us. We are nothing without our knowledge.
“Thank you all who made this mission possible. It wasn’t mission impossible. The impossible became possible. Thank you all.”