An Unexpected Abundance: NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Delivers More Than Anticipated From Asteroid Bennu

NASA’s team of curators, in collaboration with Lockheed Martin recovery experts, have successfully opened the sample return canister lid. Credit: NASA/Robert Markowitz

The sample retrieved by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission from asteroid Bennu has proven to contain more material than initially estimated, thereby necessitating a more time-intensive curation process. Advanced methods of analysis are currently in progress, with comprehensive studies slated for the upcoming weeks.

The initial handling of the OSIRIS-REx sample from asteroid Bennu is taking longer than initially projected, and for a very good reason: the sample is unusually plentiful. The sheer volume of material revealed upon the opening of the scientific canister lid this week means that the process of breaking down the TAGSAM (Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism) head—which contains the majority of the material from the asteroid—is commencing cautiously.

Unforeseen Discoveries

Following the sample collection event on Bennu three years prior, scientists hypothesized that some material from the asteroid might be found in the canister beyond the TAGSAM head, as they observed particles gradually leaking from the head before it was stored. Nevertheless, the actual volume of dark particles found on the interior of the canister lid and surrounding the TAGSAM exceeded their projections.

Christopher Snead, the deputy lead for OSIRIS-REx curation at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, stated, “The most optimal ‘issue’ to encounter is that the material is so abundant that its collection is taking more time than initially expected. The sheer volume of material around the TAGSAM head is significant in its own right and it’s quite extraordinary to have so much of it present.”

Sample Analysis

The initial sample, extracted from the vicinity outside the TAGSAM head, has been given to scientists for preliminary examination. This rapid evaluation will furnish an initial overview of the Bennu material and what might be revealed when the main sample is analyzed.

Lindsay Keller, a member of the OSIRIS-REx sample analysis team from Johnson, mentioned, “We have a multitude of microanalytical techniques at our disposal to conduct an exceedingly thorough analysis, practically down to the atomic level.”

This preliminary investigation will employ various scientific instruments, such as a scanning electron microscope (SEM), infrared assessments, and X-ray diffraction (XRD), to acquire a more nuanced understanding of the sample.

The SEM will facilitate both a chemical and morphological overview, while infrared evaluations are expected to reveal whether the sample contains hydrated minerals and particles rich in organic matter. X-ray diffraction will be used to detect differing minerals within the sample and might indicate their relative proportions.

Keller added, “We have top-tier researchers, instruments, and facilities that will be intensely analyzing these samples.”

This quick-look evaluation will serve as a beneficial resource for scientists as they prepare to conduct further studies on larger sample segments.

Forthcoming Procedures

In the weeks ahead, the curation team plans to transfer the TAGSAM head into another specialized glovebox. There, they will engage in the complex task of disassembling it to ultimately unveil the main sample it contains.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about OSIRIS-REx mission

More about OSIRIS-REx mission

• NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Mission Overview
• Asteroid Bennu Facts and Information
• Introduction to TAGSAM
• NASA’s Johnson Space Center
• Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
• Infrared Measurements in Material Analysis
• X-ray Diffraction (XRD)