NASA opens the OSIRIS-REx sample container after much anticipation. NASA’s Johnson Space Center curation team overcame two resistant fasteners to retrieve the precious Bennu sample after months of labor. January 11, 2024, marked a significant mission milestone when the lid was opened.
OSIRIS-REx’s Triumph in Opening Bennu Sample Container Sparks Anticipation for Celestial Discoveries
Working behind the scenes, the team processed over 70 grams of previously accessible material and developed unique methods to overcome stuck fasteners. Despite this success, workers must deconstruct the Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM) container before reaching the main sample. As scientists prepare to investigate the material that traveled over a billion miles to Earth, anticipation increases.
While OSIRIS-APEX was returning the Bennu sample, NASA renamed it OSIRIS-APEX and sent it to Apophis. OSIRIS-APEX, scheduled for April 2029, will study Apophis to improve our understanding of these celestial bodies.
Sample retrieval from Bennu is exciting because it may reveal early solar system insights. After a thorough study, scientists found significant carbon and water in the original substance. This primitive sample shows the early solar system’s composition without Earth’s weathering.
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Asteroid Adventures: OSIRIS-REx Unveils Bennu’s Secrets and Sets Sights on Apophis
In 2018, OSIRIS-REx arrived in Bennu after a captivating voyage that began in 2016. After collecting samples on Bennu in 2020, the spacecraft returned to Earth in 2021. The capsule with the rare asteroid sample fell safely in the Utah desert on September 24, 2023. A thermal barrier shielded the 8.8-ounce sample throughout its explosive fall into Earth’s atmosphere.
OSIRIS-APEX will study Apophis for a year and a half. The prolonged mission involves approaching the asteroid to mix up loose debris. The events leading up to the Bennu sample container opening and the Apophis mission are important steps in our effort to understand our solar system.
Unlocking the OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample container allows scientists to investigate pristine material from the early solar system. OSIRIS-APEX’s mission to Apophis promises more insights into these mysterious celestial bodies.