It might be thought that collecting samples from outer space is the most complicated part of an asteroid mission, but in fact, the real challenge lies in opening that sample container once it returns to Earth. This phase took nearly three months, but NASA finally removed two of the stuck fasteners that were obstructing its access to the main sample collected from the asteroid Bennu by its OSIRIS-REx spacecraft.
Initially, NASA was able to collect a few ounces of asteroid material found on the outside of the Touch-and-Go Mechanism (TAGSAM), but its internal contents remained sealed due to two issues with the 35 fasteners facing the instruments. The mechanism is housed in a special glove box to avoid sample contamination, and only specific instruments are approved for use with it. None of the available tools were able to remove the stubborn fasteners from the TAGSAM head, so the team had to develop new tools with diligent and meticulous efforts.
“There are design challenges related to the limited materials used to protect the scientific value of the samples, as well as the necessity of these new instruments to operate within the confined space of a glove box, requiring reduced length and weight and increased capacity and efficiency,” according to Dr. Nicole Lunning, curator of OSIRIS-REx.
Now that the TAGSAM head has been freed, the team can move forward with opening the container – meaning they will soon be able to reveal its contents. NASA’s preliminary assessments of dust and rocks emerging from TAGSAM indicate the presence of carbon and water, and this could open a new door to exciting scientific discoveries related to the history and formation of the solar system.
common questions:
Q: What is the main goal of the OSIRIS-REx mission?
A: The main goal of the OSIRIS-REx mission is to collect samples from the surface of the asteroid Bennu and return them to Earth to study planetary formation and the history of the origin of the solar system.
Q: What does the presence of carbon and water in the collected samples indicate?
A: The presence of carbon and water in the collected samples could be an indication of the past or future presence of organic materials and habitable conditions on asteroids and other celestial bodies.
