Mars Exploration News
IRON AND ICE
Asteroid family link strengthened by SwRI analysis of Bennu and Ryugu
illustration only
Asteroid family link strengthened by SwRI analysis of Bennu and Ryugu
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Aug 20, 2025

A Southwest Research Institute study of near-Earth asteroids Bennu and Ryugu provides compelling evidence that both objects originated from the Polana collisional family in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

The team compared Polana spectroscopy data with spacecraft and laboratory results from Ryugu and Bennu, revealing strong similarities in their near-infrared spectra that support a shared parent body.

"Very early in the formation of the solar system, we believe large asteroids collided and broke into pieces to form an 'asteroid family' with Polana as the largest remaining body," explained SwRI's Dr. Anicia Arredondo, the study's lead author. "Theories suggest that remnants of that collision not only created Polana, but also Bennu and Ryugu as well. To test that theory, we started looking at spectra of all three bodies and comparing them to one another."

Arredondo and her colleagues secured James Webb Space Telescope time to capture near- and mid-infrared observations of Polana. They then compared those results with spectral data from physical samples. JAXA's Hayabusa2 mission collected and returned Ryugu material in 2020, while NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft delivered Bennu samples to Earth in 2023.

Bennu and Ryugu orbit the Sun within Mars's path, making them near-Earth asteroids, but neither poses a danger. Bennu, roughly one third of a mile across, is about the size of the Empire State Building. Ryugu is about twice as large, while Polana measures approximately 33 miles in diameter. Researchers believe Jupiter's gravity nudged Bennu and Ryugu away from their original orbits near Polana.

"They are similar enough that we feel confident that all three asteroids could have come from the same parent body," Arredondo said.

Although spectral differences were noted, none were sufficient to rule out a common origin.

"Polana, Bennu and Ryugu have all had their own journeys through our solar system since the impact that may have formed them," added SwRI's Dr. Tracy Becker, a co-author. "Bennu and Ryugu are now much closer to the Sun than Polana, so their surfaces may be more affected by solar radiation and solar particles.

"Likewise, Polana is possibly older than Bennu and Ryugu and thus would have been exposed to micrometeoroid impacts for a longer period," Becker continued. "That could also change aspects of its surface, including its composition."

Research Report:JWST spectroscopy of (142) Polana: Connection to NEAs (101955) Bennu and (162173) Ryugu"

Related Links
Planetary Science at SwRI
Asteroid and Comet Mission News, Science and Technology

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
IRON AND ICE
Hera spacecraft tests asteroid tracking with distant Otero and Kellyday observations
Paris, France (SPX) Aug 08, 2025
Hera has captured its first asteroid images, targeting (1126) Otero and (18805) Kellyday during its cruise through the main asteroid belt. The distant, faint detections tested the spacecraft's Asteroid Framing Camera under conditions similar to its future approach to the Didymos system. Launched on 7 October 2024, Hera used a Mars flyby in March 2025 to set its course for arrival at Didymos and Dimorphos in late 2026. On 11 May 2025, the spacecraft turned toward Otero from roughly three million ki ... read more

IRON AND ICE
LunaGrid Lite advances toward lunar power transmission milestone

China advances crewed lunar mission with lander landing and takeoff trial

NASA opens next round in Moon recycling challenge

Astronaut Jim Lovell, commander of Apollo 13, dies at 97

IRON AND ICE
AI assistant supports Chinese space station astronauts

Spacesuit milestone reached with 20 spacewalks on Chinese station

Shenzhou 20 crew prepares for third spacewalk in coming days

Astronaut crew tests new generation spacewalk suits and conducts health research aboard Tiangong

IRON AND ICE
Asteroid family link strengthened by SwRI analysis of Bennu and Ryugu

Fireball lights up Japanese skies

Two different types of asteroids may actually share same origin story

Ceres once held deep energy reserves that may have supported life

IRON AND ICE
Alien aurora: Researchers discover new plasma wave in Jupiter's aurora

Webb telescope discovers a new Uranus moon

Simulated ice volcanoes reveal how water behaves on distant moons

China eyes Neptune for groundbreaking ice giant mission

IRON AND ICE
Titan atmosphere wobbles like a gyroscope revealing seasonal shifts

IRON AND ICE
Rare gigantic jet captured from ISS by NASA astronaut

Indian Private Space Consortium to Build First National Earth Observation Satellite Network

ICEYE introduces Scan Wide mode to enhance SAR satellite imaging capacity

Sunlight powered flyers unlock access to the mesosphere

IRON AND ICE
Intuitive Machines to Acquire KinetX Expanding Role in Deep Space Navigation and Mars Relay Services

Irish CubeSat proves wave based control for precise in orbit pointing

Sidus Space commissions autonomous SpacePilot system and activates LizzieSat-3 ADCS

Four astronauts home from space station after splashdown

IRON AND ICE
TRAPPIST-1 d ruled out as Earth twin by Webb study

Planets without water could still produce certain liquids

Hints emerge of giant planet orbiting Alpha Centauri A

Some young suns align with their planet-forming disks, others are born tilted

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.