NASA Unveils Container of Asteroid Bennu Samples

The NASA space agency has unpacked the container with samples from the Bennu asteroid after months of effort, revealing photos of its contents. The images depict the rocky material collected by the OSIRIS-REx probe from the asteroid.

According to OSIRIS-REx team member Lindsay Keller, scientists are analyzing the samples at an almost atomic level. The approximately 4.5-billion-year-old Bennu asteroid could provide crucial insights into the formation of our Solar System and the origin of life on Earth.

Already, traces of carbon and water have been identified in excess material found on the exterior of the container. Despite the expectation of obtaining at least 60 grams of regolith from the asteroid, OSIRIS-REx managed to capture significantly more, with the team receiving 70.3 grams from the additional material alone.

The analysis of the samples will continue for two years. Later this year, the team will release a catalog of all the samples collected from Bennu, allowing scientists and institutions worldwide to submit requests for their examination or demonstration.

The mission to obtain rock samples from the 500-meter-wide Bennu asteroid began in 2016 when NASA researchers launched the Osiris-Rex probe towards the celestial body. The spacecraft took two years to reach the asteroid, followed by another two years for mapping before scientists could confidently determine a location on the surface to collect rock samples. The capsule with the samples returned to Earth in late September 2023, covering a total distance of 7 billion kilometers.

It is worth noting that accessing the samples proved challenging due to two of the 35 container lid fasteners becoming stuck. Scientists refrained from using excessive physical force and tools to avoid inadvertently contaminating the rocky material inside.

Additionally, The Gaze reported that the Japanese precision landing probe, Moon Sniper, successfully landed on the Moon and established communication with Earth. However, its probe did not generate enough solar energy, and its batteries depleted within a few hours. Data sent from the spacecraft indicated that it executed a standard descent and is currently on the lunar surface, maintaining proper communication.