"It will be the first time that we get so close to such an ancient celestial body," says Ralf Jaumann from the DLR Institute of Planetary Research. "With Vesta, we have the opportunity to learn what happened when the planets were first formed from a cloud of dust." The asteroid was discovered by German astronomer Heinrich Olbers on 29 March 1807. Spectral measurements performed using ground-based telescopes suggest that the celestial body could consist of a firm crust of rocks of various compositions, a mantle and a core - the same as the Earth-like planets. Shortly after its formation 4.6 billion years ago, Vesta is suspected to have been completely molten. In the following 50 million years, the asteroid cooled down and the rocks separated according to their various densities, causing the heavier material to move towards the interior. "After this process, however, not much more happened on Vesta," explains Jaumann, a planetary geologist.

Pieces of asteroids found on Earth

Principally in the Sahara and the Antarctic, explorers have come across meteorites whose chemical compositions match the components of Vesta. This is what the spectral analyses of the meteorites and of Vesta suggest. "We are fairly sure that we have samples of Vesta here on Earth," says Jaumann. Planetary research scientists believe that, at some time in the past, another asteroid collided with Vesta, resulting in a 13-kilometre-deep crater on Vesta along with 50 new small asteroids, with numerous tiny fragments finding their way to Earth. So far, of the multitude of meteorites found on Earth, only a few can be classified as belonging to the Moon, Mars and Vesta; the origin of others remains uncertain. The fact that some samples can clearly be classified as originating from Vesta is a stroke of luck for Solar System research.

"It will be the first time that we get so close to such an ancient celestial body," says Ralf Jaumann from the DLR Institute of Planetary Research. "With Vesta, we have the opportunity to learn what happened when the planets were first formed from a cloud of dust." The asteroid was discovered by German astronomer Heinrich Olbers on 29 March 1807. Spectral measurements performed using ground-based telescopes suggest that the celestial body could consist of a firm crust of rocks of various compositions, a mantle and a core - the same as the Earth-like planets. Shortly after its formation 4.6 billion years ago, Vesta is suspected to have been completely molten. In the following 50 million years, the asteroid cooled down and the rocks separated according to their various densities, causing the heavier material to move towards the interior. "After this process, however, not much more happened on Vesta," explains Jaumann, a planetary geologist.

Pieces of asteroids found on Earth

Principally in the Sahara and the Antarctic, explorers have come across meteorites whose chemical compositions match the components of Vesta. This is what the spectral analyses of the meteorites and of Vesta suggest. "We are fairly sure that we have samples of Vesta here on Earth," says Jaumann. Planetary research scientists believe that, at some time in the past, another asteroid collided with Vesta, resulting in a 13-kilometre-deep crater on Vesta along with 50 new small asteroids, with numerous tiny fragments finding their way to Earth. So far, of the multitude of meteorites found on Earth, only a few can be classified as belonging to the Moon, Mars and Vesta; the origin of others remains uncertain. The fact that some samples can clearly be classified as originating from Vesta is a stroke of luck for Solar System research.