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Why? (Asking seriously what your reasons are) IF it turns out that Bennu has abundant/valuable mineral resources then it might make sense, but we don't know th

Why? (Asking seriously what your reasons are) IF it turns out that Bennu has abundant/valuable mineral resources then it might make sense, but we don't know that yet.

jessriedel 6y ago
It can also be worthwhile to capture asteroids into Earth orbit just to study them scientifically. It's way easier logistically to support human researchers when they are only a couple days' trip from home rather than a 6 month trip.
- TeMPOraL 6y ago
  This one seems to be on an Earth-Mars circuit: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/Bennu_Orbit.png https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/Bennu_Or... So who knows, maybe it's a piece of Mars, ejected a long time ago? Either way, worth looking into; we've studied so few space rocks that the marginal benefit of the first few we could capture will be huge.
pixl97 6y ago
In space all mass is valuable. At least if your planning a expansionary timeline in orbit. Flying stuff up from the gravity well is expensive. Using in situ materials, especially if your not in a big hurry to fly them there, should be cheaper once the technology is developed.
dreen 6y ago
I'm just speculating but maybe we could build a space station inside, using the shell as a natural radiation shield (apparently most asteroids contain material which can at least be made to be used that way). There is also of course the immense flex factor for any organization that manages to pull off creating a new moon.
- bewaretheirs 6y ago
  All you need for radiation shielding is enough mass that isn't itself dangerously radioactive that stays where you want it. If you're trying to make a mass-efficient radiation shield, the choice of elements matters (lighter elements are better than heavy; polyethylene is one of the better ones because it incorporates a lot of hydrogen), but if you have a big enough asteroid, just start digging...
- TeMPOraL 6y ago
  Quoting from Wikipedia: "Analysis of the gravitational and thermal effects has given a bulk density of ρ = 1190±13 kg/m3, which is only slightly denser than water. Therefore, the predicted macroporosity is 40±10%, suggesting the interior has a rubble pile structure." Translation: if exterior is like interior, and interior is like suggested above, then this asteroid isn't a rock, but a whole lot of stones that just fly close together thanks to gravity. Gravity isn't a particularly strong force, so there may not be much to attach to, and if we'd start drilling, we'd probably just turn it into a slowly expanding pile of stones.
  - gus_massa 6y ago
    Technical question: Can it has also a lot of ice mixed with some rock? This can explain a density similar to 917kg/m^3 Non technical question: If the interior has a rubble pile structure, can we blow up it like in Armageddon?
narag 6y ago
Take a look at Wikipedia section about photometry and spectroscopy. It seems that magnetite (so iron and oxygen) is present. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/101955_Bennu https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/101955_Bennu

Why? (Asking seriously what your reasons are) IF it turns out that Bennu has abundant/valuable mineral resources then it might make sense, but we don't know that yet.

jessriedel 6y ago

It can also be worthwhile to capture asteroids into Earth orbit just to study them scientifically. It's way easier logistically to support human researchers when they are only a couple days' trip from home rather than a 6 month trip.

TeMPOraL 6y ago
This one seems to be on an Earth-Mars circuit: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/Bennu_Orbit.png https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/Bennu_Or... So who knows, maybe it's a piece of Mars, ejected a long time ago? Either way, worth looking into; we've studied so few space rocks that the marginal benefit of the first few we could capture will be huge.

pixl97 6y ago

In space all mass is valuable. At least if your planning a expansionary timeline in orbit. Flying stuff up from the gravity well is expensive. Using in situ materials, especially if your not in a big hurry to fly them there, should be cheaper once the technology is developed.

dreen 6y ago

I'm just speculating but maybe we could build a space station inside, using the shell as a natural radiation shield (apparently most asteroids contain material which can at least be made to be used that way). There is also of course the immense flex factor for any organization that manages to pull off creating a new moon.

bewaretheirs 6y ago
All you need for radiation shielding is enough mass that isn't itself dangerously radioactive that stays where you want it. If you're trying to make a mass-efficient radiation shield, the choice of elements matters (lighter elements are better than heavy; polyethylene is one of the better ones because it incorporates a lot of hydrogen), but if you have a big enough asteroid, just start digging...
TeMPOraL 6y ago
Quoting from Wikipedia: "Analysis of the gravitational and thermal effects has given a bulk density of ρ = 1190±13 kg/m3, which is only slightly denser than water. Therefore, the predicted macroporosity is 40±10%, suggesting the interior has a rubble pile structure." Translation: if exterior is like interior, and interior is like suggested above, then this asteroid isn't a rock, but a whole lot of stones that just fly close together thanks to gravity. Gravity isn't a particularly strong force, so there may not be much to attach to, and if we'd start drilling, we'd probably just turn it into a slowly expanding pile of stones.
- gus_massa 6y ago
  Technical question: Can it has also a lot of ice mixed with some rock? This can explain a density similar to 917kg/m^3 Non technical question: If the interior has a rubble pile structure, can we blow up it like in Armageddon?

narag 6y ago

Take a look at Wikipedia section about photometry and spectroscopy. It seems that magnetite (so iron and oxygen) is present. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/101955_Bennu https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/101955_Bennu