NASA asks users to find all the boulders on the surface of Bennu asteroid

In early May, OSIRIS-REx will compile Bennu’s first detailed map, and the mission team will only have six weeks to

choose a suitable place for landing the probe.

The NASA report notes that the mission team will not be able to find all the large boulders, which occupy almost the entire Bennu surface, with their own resources for a safe OSIRIS-REx landing.

The task of mapping every single boulder onthe surface of the asteroid is really large-scale, and, frankly speaking, we simply did not find another way to do it in the time we have. We really need help.

Astronomer Carina Bennett

A snapshot of the Bennu surface and an interactive map will appear on NASA’s website in early May 2019.

Sidebar

Earlier, HITEC told in detail about the OSIRIS-REx mission to the Benn asteroid, which is the first contender for a collision with the Earth in the future.