Australia’s asteroid sample could reveal the origins of life

A Japanese space mission will deliver samples collected by the asteroid Ryugu to a capsule in the Woomera outback desert in South Australia this Sunday morning.

A leading Australian National University (ANU) expert who will analyze the samples says they could provide important information about the origin of life on Earth.

The underground material collected by the asteroid will be deposited by Hayabusa2. The test will begin almost immediately on the returned material.

The mission aims to shed light on the nature of asteroids and the origins of the planets in our solar system, as well as the origin of Earth’s water, which is vital for all life.

ANU space rock expert Professor Trevor Ireland, who is part of the Hayabusa2 science team, is in Woomera awaiting the arrival of the asteroid sample, which he will analyze in the laboratory.

“I predict that the Hayabusa2 samples from asteroid Ryugu will be very similar to the meteorite that fell in Australia near Murchison, Victoria, more than 50 years ago,” said Professor Ireland, of the ANU Research School of Earth Sciences.

“The Murchison meteorite opened a window into the origin of organic substances on Earth because these rocks were found to contain simple amino acids and water in abundance.”

Professor Ireland said his work would help answer big questions about the diamond-shaped asteroid, which is about a kilometer in diameter and is in an orbit that takes it between Earth and Mars.

“We will examine whether Ryugu is a potential source of organic matter and water on Earth when the solar system was forming and whether these still remain intact on the asteroid,” he said.

“This C-type asteroid, which is the most common type, appears to be similar to Murchison’s meteorites, rare carbonaceous chondrites filled with organic molecules and water.

“We may find that missing connection on Ryugu.

“We will also discover the history of this curious asteroid. The other Itokawa-pileasteroid of rubble is quite young. Will Ryugu prove to be much older?”

ANU astronomer Dr. Brad Tucker said the technology has allowed space missions to regularly land on objects in space and return to Earth.

“With the Chinese mission Chang’e 5 landing on the moon and returning at the end of December, Osiris-Rex and future planned missions, we can get our hands dirty and learn a lot about the solar system and our planet,” Dr. Tucker , from the ANU Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, said.

“Future space travel and exploration missions will be necessary to be able to mine resources in space. Missions like Hayabusa2 are laying the foundation for this effort.”

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