NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission team has achieved a significant milestone in their quest to study the asteroid Bennu. After a remarkable three-year journey through space, the team has successfully opened the canister that contains samples collected from the asteroid. However, their excitement was overshadowed by the unexpected discovery of black dust and debris on the avionics deck of the canister. This finding suggests that the particles originated from Bennu itself when the spacecraft landed on the asteroid to collect its sample.
Following the extraction of the sample, it was promptly dropped off in the vast Utah desert. However, its journey was not yet complete. The precious cargo was then transported to NASA’s Johnson Space Center, where a state-of-the-art laboratory has been specially created to disassemble the canister and conduct a detailed analysis of the estimated 8.8 ounces of asteroid rock and dust inside.
Space enthusiasts around the world eagerly anticipate the upcoming live broadcast on October 11th. During this event, the OSIRIS-REx mission team will present their early findings from the sample analysis. They will also unveil images of the fascinating rocks and dust obtained from Bennu.
The OSIRIS-REx mission was originally launched in 2016, and it finally reached Bennu in 2018. Two years later, in 2020, the spacecraft successfully collected the precious sample before embarking on its long journey back to Earth.
Bennu, classified as a small, near-Earth asteroid, has captivated scientists for its potential to reveal insights into the early solar system. Researchers believe that Bennu may have broken off from a larger carbon-rich asteroid several hundred million years ago. The study of its composition and structure could shed light on the formation and evolution of our celestial neighborhood.
Space enthusiasts yearning for more updates on this thrilling mission are encouraged to follow Gizmodo’s Spaceflight page. There, they will find the latest news and discoveries from the OSIRIS-REx mission and other groundbreaking ventures in space exploration.
