"OSIRIS-REx: Unveiling the Secrets of Bennu - NASA's Record-Breaking Asteroid Sample Return"
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| "OSIRIS-REx: Unveiling the Secrets of Bennu - NASA's Record-Breaking Asteroid Sample Return" |
NASA's OSIRIS-REx spaceship brought back a hefty haul from asteroid Bennu, tipping the scales at 4.29 ounces (121.6 grams) of space stuff. That's a record-breaking asteroid sample, double what the mission originally aimed for. The team only needed 60 grams of material for their science mission, but they hit that mark before even opening up the collection head.
In October 2023, the clever folks at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston got to work sifting through the goods. They managed to snag tiny rocks and dust from inside the collection canister and even from the head itself. But things hit a snag later that month when they ran into two pesky fasteners. It took until January, with some fancy new tools and a bit of elbow grease, to finally crack open the head and reveal the rest of the Bennu stash.
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| "OSIRIS-REx: Unveiling the Secrets of Bennu - NASA's Record-Breaking Asteroid Sample Return" |
In total, they collected 4.29 ounces (121.6 grams), with 1.81 ounces (51.2 grams) coming from the final pour. NASA's planning to keep at least 70% of the sample at Johnson for future study, sharing the rest with scientists worldwide.
This spring, they'll release a catalog of all the OSIRIS-REx goodies, giving scientists everywhere a shot at studying a piece of an asteroid up close.
So, what's next for OSIRIS-REx? Well, after dropping off its Bennu bounty, it's off to visit asteroid Apophis on a whole new mission. They even gave it a new name: OSIRIS-APEX (OSIRIS-Apophis Explorer).
Exciting times ahead for asteroid exploration!
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