NASA to Investigate "Armageddon" Asteroid That Could Destroy Earth

NASA announced earlier this year that the agency will launch the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer OSIRIS-REx will be launched to study asteroids. Recently they identified a target celestial object and experts say it is one asteroid that can pose a threat to Earth.

Astronomers found Bennu, the target of OSIRIS-Rex mission to map a surface of an asteroid and to collect samples to bring back to Earth using its robotic arms. Bennu crosses Earth's orbit constantly every six years making it a great target for the mission. In 2035, Bennu will pass between moon and Earth, a dangerous proximity to the planet.

Astronomers believe that the giant asteroid is capable of obliterating the Earth and poses a great threat to the planet just like in the movie, Armageddon. In 2035, the giant asteroid will orbit close to Earth and OSIRIS REx will be there to approach the asteroid that could potentially change the course of the asteroid over time.

"That 2135 fly-by is going to tweak Bennu's orbit, potentially putting it on course for the Earth later that century," Dante Lauretta, professor of planetary science at Arizona said in an interview with the Times UK.

Bennu is dangerously huge at about 1,600 feet in diameter at charges at 63,000 mph on average. Although the chance that Bennu will impact the Earth is very small, astronomers are not taking any chances because the asteroid is known for being able to cause an "Armageddon" if it hits the planet.

"Bennu falls on the boundary, in terms of size, for an object capable of causing a global catastrophe," professor Mark Bailey of Northern Ireland's Armagh Observatory said in an interview. Just like in Bruce Willis' movie, Armageddon.

This September, NASA will launch OSIRIS-REx that will orbit the Sun first to build up speed before going back and synchronizing with the asteroid's orbit. OSIRIS-REx will do a comprehensive surface mapping of the asteroid and will collect samples to be taken back to Earth.

Samples to be collected are anticipated by scientists since they believe that asteroids are rarely altered by time and they may provide knowledge about the past hidden it its rocks.