Bennu
Bennu is a relatively small asteroid that passes close to Earth about every six years. Bennu was the target of NASA's OSIRIS-REx, the first U.S. mission to collect a sample from an asteroid and deliver it to Earth on Sept. 24, 2023.
About Bennu
Bennu is about one-third of a mile wide at its equator.
The rocks Bennu is made of formed nearly 4.6 billion years ago on a primeval world that has since been destroyed by a giant collision. Bennu coalesced from a small portion of the leftover rubble about 1 to 2 billion years ago. It may have formed in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, and drifted close to Earth since then. Bennu makes it closest approach to Earth every 6 years, coming within about 186,000 miles (299,000 kilometers) of our planet.
Exploring Bennu
The target of NASA's first asteroid sampling mission, called OSIRIS-REx.
NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft launched to Bennu on Sept. 8, 2016. It collected rocks and dust from the asteroid's surface on Oct. 20, 2020, departing Bennu on May 10, 2021, to head back to Earth to drop off the sample capsule on Sept. 24, 2023. Soon after the sample landed on Earth, NASA distributed grains of Bennu to scientists around the globe who have been analyzing them in their labs.
Asteroid and Comet Resources
A curated collection of resources about asteroids and comets, including activities that can be done at home, as well as videos and animations, images, handouts, and online interactives.
