Stunning new NASA footage shows probe landing on ‘doomsday asteroid’ Bennu to bring home alien sample - The Sun

NASA has released new footage of its daring mission to land a probe on 'doomsday asteroid' Bennu and collect an alien sample.

The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft touched down on the near-Earth asteroid on Tuesday evening and could soon fly the rubble it collected back to Earth.

The OSIRIS-REx probe is said to be in good shape and is now orbiting Bennu once more.

Due to an 18.5 minute communication delay with Earth, the space probe relied on commands set ahead of time.

Cameras will determine if the sample is good enough and, if it is, the space probe will start heading back to Earth in March 2021 after further analysis has been conducted.

It's hoped that the any dirt collected will help with future research into our solar system – including how to potentially prevent an asteroid crashing into Earth.

Last December, scientists selected the sample site known as Nightingale – a fairly smooth patch on what is an asteroid strewn with boulders.

Nasa claims Bennu hosts ingredients that we know are essential for life on Earth.

It said: "One of the papers, led by Amy Simon from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, shows that carbon-bearing, organic material is widespread on the asteroid’s surface, including at the mission’s primary sample site, Nightingale, where OSIRIS-REx will make its first sample collection attempt on October 20.

There is a theory that life on Earth started because of an asteroid impact bringing water and the right organic molecules.

There's also slight concern that an asteroid like Bennu could end lives on Earth.