Asteroids and bringing space rocks back to Earth

Professor of Planetary and Space Science, Simon Green, is interviewed by the Space Boffins about asteroids, space rocks, and the next international space missions that academics at The Open University are contributing towards.

Professor of Planetary and Space Science, Simon Green.

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Professor of Planetary and Space Science, Simon Green

Speaking about the next space missions, which will focus on collecting asteroid samples, Professor Green, said: “Only the most robust [asteroids]objects survive to the ground.

“It appears that the most primitive materials in the Solar System, those that date right back to its formation, will be very fragile.

“The properties of the meteorites we have, which tell us a great deal about the evolution of the Solar System, indicate that the missing bits are really the most exciting ones.

“[Scientists] choose the asteroid that has the most primitive materials.”

Listen to the podcast: ‘Sampling