NASA Spacecraft Provides Insight into Asteroid Bennu's Future Orbit
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Wednesday, August 11, 2021
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The study, titled "Ephemeris and hazard assessment for near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu based on OSIRIS-REx data," was published in the journal Icarus.
Key Points:
- The study, titled "Ephemeris and hazard assessment for near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu based on OSIRIS-REx data," was published in the journal Icarus.
- In 2135, asteroid Bennu will make a close approach with Earth.
- Because the asteroid spins, the heated surface will rotate away and cool down when it enters the nightside.
- As it cools, the surface releases infrared energy, which generates a small amount of thrust on the asteroid a phenomenon called the Yarkovsky effect.