Stardust: Asteroid Bennu reveals particles older than the solar system
LONGUEUIL, QC, Aug. 22, 2025 /CNW/ – Canadian researchers, members of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx international science team, have contributed to new studies related to the sample collected from asteroid Bennu.
Three scientific articles published today in Nature Astronomy and Nature Geoscience reveal that Bennu contains:
- Stardust grains older than our solar system
- Interstellar organic matter (likely formed beyond our solar system)
- High-temperature minerals that formed closer to the Sun
Learn more: Fascinating news about Bennu
For interviews with a CSA expert and more details about the Canadian discoveries, please contact the Media Relations Office.
Canada’s role in the OSIRIS-REx Mission
These new findings highlight the importance of asteroid sample return missions like OSIRIS-REx. A Canadian lidar instrument was used to help select the Bennu sample site. In exchange for this contribution, Canada will receive 4% of the sample, making it the fifth country to preserve and study a sample collected from space. It’s also thanks to this contribution that Canadian researchers are part of the international science team.
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SOURCE Canadian Space Agency
