NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Mission Collects Record-Breaking Amount of Asteroid Bennu Sample
In a groundbreaking achievement, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission has successfully collected a record-breaking amount of material from its target asteroid Bennu. The mission, which launched in 2016, recently completed its asteroid sample return mission and returned to Earth on September 24th. The probe brought back a tightly-sealed container containing the first pieces of an asteroid ever captured and returned for further study. This marks the end of an epic seven-year journey through space.
Initially, the mission’s goal was to collect up to 2.12 ounces (60 grams) of material from Bennu. However, the team quickly realized that there had to be much more inside the sample container. Upon examination, scientists discovered that in addition to the 2.48 ounces (70.3 grams) of sample collected from the outside of the canister, there was another 1.81 ounces (51.2 grams) of asteroid Bennu within. This brings the total amount of material collected to a staggering 4.29 ounces (121.6 grams), more than double the mission’s original goal.
The successful collection of such a significant amount of asteroid material opens up new possibilities for scientific research. Examination of the samples has already begun, and scientists are excited about the potential discoveries that lie ahead. Dante Lauretta, the principal investigator for OSIRIS-REx, stated that they are finding “a whole realm of material” previously inaccessible using samples collected from meteorites.
Bennu is believed to be a remnant of the early solar system, and studying these samples could provide valuable insights into the mysteries of early planetary development. Scientists hope that analyzing the composition and structure of the asteroid material will help unravel some of the fundamental questions about our solar system’s origins.
A quarter of the Bennu sample will remain with researchers on the OSIRIS-REx research team for further analysis. However, NASA has plans to preserve at least 70 percent of the sample for study by scientists worldwide, as well as for future generations of researchers. This collaborative effort will ensure that the wealth of information contained within these asteroid samples is shared and utilized to its fullest potential.
The success of the OSIRIS-REx mission is a testament to the ingenuity and perseverance of the NASA team. Despite encountering complications with opening the sample container, they developed a new tool to access the entirety of the Bennu sample. This achievement not only sets a new record for the largest asteroid sample ever collected but also paves the way for future missions and advancements in our understanding of the universe.
In comparison, the Japanese Aerospace Agency’s Hayabusa2 mission, which returned in December 2020, brought back only about 0.18 ounces (5 grams) of material from its asteroid target, Ryugu. The significant difference in the amount of material collected highlights the remarkable success of the OSIRIS-REx mission.
As scientists continue to analyze the Bennu samples, the world eagerly awaits the groundbreaking discoveries that will emerge from this unprecedented collection. The OSIRIS-REx mission has not only pushed the boundaries of space exploration but has also provided us with a unique opportunity to unlock the secrets of our cosmic origins.
