Asteroid Bennu mapped: NASA reveals stunning video of space rock the size of a skyscraper

Bennu has stunned experts for decades and many believe its properties are vital for proving organic compounds exist outside the solar system. It is regarded as a B-type asteroid and has similar clay-like properties comparable to how Earth started out millions of years ago. NASA has mapped the asteroid’s unique surface ahead of next year’s planned landing.

In a 2018 mission, a ship was loaded with tools to land on sand and collect a “beach-like sand substance” but the hyper rocky terrain has now thrown the scientists.

NASA chief Rich Burns said: “Osiris-REX was designed to collect a sample from an asteroid with a ‘beach-like’ area.”

Having launched in September 2016, the probe reached the proximity of the asteroid in December 2018.

The 20ft machine can travel up to 19,000mph and bosses are confident the probe will cope with the unexpected terrain.

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Mr Burns said: “The extraordinary in-flight performance to date demonstrates that we will be able to meet the challenge that the rugged surface of Bennu presents.

“That extraordinary performance encompasses not only the spacecraft and instruments, but also the team that continues to meet every challenge that Bennu throws at us.”

The Canadian Space Agency shared a stunning video mapping the four potential sample sites, these are Nightingale, Kingfisher, Osprey, and Sandpiper – all birds native to Egypt.

Nightingale, the northern-most site, features multiple possible sampling regions in this site, which is set in a small crater encompassed by a 459-feet diameter crater.

Mr Rizk said: “The story of this asteroid is the story of the solar system.

“When we understand Bennu, we will understand something fundamental about our solar system.”

Bennu was discovered on September 11, 1999 after a near-Earth asteroid survey undertaken by the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research.

Experts have calculated Bennu has a one in 2,700 chance of hitting Earth between 2175 and 2199.

source: express.co.uk