http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/06/science/nasa-osiris-rex-asteroid-bennu-sample.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fus&action=click&contentCollection=us®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=5&pgtype=sectionfront
On Thursday, the Atlas 5 rocket will be launched in to space and on top of it is a spacecraft called the Osiris-Rex. It will go on a 7 year mission in order to collect a sample from the surface and an astroid called Bennu. They think this astroid is a carbon-rich collection of debris from the beginning of our universe. The scientists are hoping to some organic molecules such as amino acids to help get a better understanding of what created life. Another reason they're doing this is to know more about the astroid since its orbit causes it to pass pretty close about every 6 years. This knowledge would be useful in the case that Bennu was on a path towards Earth we would either know how to stop it or know how to deal with it.
This article was written by Kenneth Chang and published on September 5, 2016. Before reading this article, I knew nothing about this astroid or spacecraft. I knew about missions similar to this but not this one. The article is probably intended for those interested in space exploration and/or science. I don't think it has a positive or negative influence on the audience since the purpose is just giving the information. This article is important since it is marking the beginning of what could lead to a discovery, furthering our knowledge of the start of life in the universe. This article relates to US history like when the Europeans were exploring the New World. They're similar in that they are both explorations of unknown things/places.
Oh yeah Osiris-Rex! I signed up to get my name engraved onto that probe a few years ago. I had totally forgot about it. I have a digital certificate of authenticity and everything. Cool!
ReplyDeleteThis article seems very interesting, and I had never hear this before either. It's cool that they may gain more information about our history but it's bound to be a while until they get it. I like the connection you made to the European colonization.
ReplyDeleteThis is very exciting. It's very important for us to learn about our origins, and with this asteroid we could potentially learn much more the universe and our surroundings. I think a lot of people have trouble imagining that there are others like us out there, just like during the era of colonization.
ReplyDelete-Anna Czyzewski
This is so cool, and it really shows how even though our technology advances and we as a race continue to evolve, we have to go back to our roots to find out how to learn and grow further. That lesson shows us how history matters to our future, and the relevancy of things past and the most basic foundation can make the biggest difference.
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting article and it's nice that we're always learning more about the origin of our universe. Also, I really like how Maggie wrote in her comment that we have to learn more about our past in order to progress in the future.
ReplyDeleteI love that we are always taking steps to discover more about our origins and the unending universe that surrounds us. I can't wait to learn about what they find!
ReplyDelete-Linnea Soderlund