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What is the current state of space missions exploring asteroids and what are their objectives?

Brandy Woodrooffe

Hey there! Great question. The current state of space missions exploring asteroids is quite active with multiple ongoing missions and objectives.

Firstly, NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission is currently exploring an asteroid named Bennu. The objective of this mission is to bring back a sample of the asteroid's material to Earth for further analysis. This will help scientists better understand the composition of asteroids and their potential impact on Earth.

Another mission currently exploring asteroids is the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) Hayabusa2 mission. This mission is exploring an asteroid named Ryugu and has also collected samples from the asteroid's surface. Additionally, Hayabusa2 has deployed small rovers to explore the surface of the asteroid and measure its temperature and magnetic fields.

The European Space Agency's (ESA) Hera mission is planned for launch in 2024 and will explore the Didymos asteroid. The objective of this mission is to study the asteroid's composition, structure, and how it may be redirected in the event of a potential impact with Earth.

In addition to these specific missions, there are also ongoing efforts to study asteroids and their potential impact on Earth through ground-based telescopes and other observation methods. This includes the Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona, which searches for near-Earth asteroids, and NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office, which works to identify potential asteroid impact threats and develop strategies to mitigate them.

Overall, the objectives of these missions are to better understand the composition and nature of asteroids, as well as the potential threat they may pose to Earth. Through these missions and ongoing efforts, scientists hope to gain more insights into the formation and evolution of the solar system, as well as ways to protect our planet from potential asteroid impacts.

Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.