At the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Johnson Space Center (Houston, Texas), the asteroid “101955 Bennu” was brought back to Earth by the asteroid exploration mission “OSIRIS-REx”. Work has begun to remove the sample from the container. On September 26, local time, the tip of the spacecraft’s robotic arm that touched Bennu was revealed, and black dust was also seen adhering to the inside of the container.[September 27, 2023 12:00]
The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, also known as the American version of Hayabusa, was launched in September 2016 and arrived at the asteroid 101955 Bennu in December 2018. After repeated observations from orbit, samples were collected from the surface in October 2020, and after departing from Bennu in May 2021, it continued its flight towards Earth.
The recovery capsule containing the Bennu samples separated from the spacecraft and re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere at 19:42 on September 24, 2023, Japan time, and at 23:52 on the same day, Japan time, in Utah, USA. Successfully landed at Utah Test and Training Range. The capsule was transported by helicopter to the training site on September 24, local time, was taken to a clean room, processed, and then airlifted, arriving at the Johnson Space Center on September 26, 2023, Japan time. I was there.
Related: Container containing asteroid samples arrives at Johnson Space Center NASA “OSIRIS-REx” mission update (September 26, 2023)
[▲ Sequential images of the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft’s sample collection device TAGSAM taken after collecting samples from the asteroid Bennu. Substances that appeared to be part of the collected particles were floating around (Credit: NASA)]
The Bennu sample collected on October 21, 2020, Japan time, is inside the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft’s sample acquisition device “TAGSAM (Touch-And-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism).” TAGSAM is a flat, cylindrical cage-like device that was attached to the tip of the spacecraft’s robotic arm during sample collection.
[▲ Animation created from images taken with the OSIRIS-REx camera “SamCam” for 5 minutes before and after sample collection (Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona)]
On the day of sample collection, the spacecraft extended its robotic arm and descended to Bennu’s surface. By injecting nitrogen gas at the same time as the TAGSAM at the tip made contact, the material flying up from the surface was captured inside the TAGSAM. According to NASA, the OSIRIS-REx mission planned to bring back at least 60 grams of sample, but it is estimated that the actual sample collected was about 250 grams, which exceeded the plan.
[▲ Image video explaining TAGSAM deployment, sample collection, and storage in the recovery capsule (Credit: NASA Goddard)]
TAGSAM was placed in a sample container inside the recovery capsule on October 30, 2023 after sample collection. Nearly three years later, on September 24, 2023, the recovery capsule returned to Earth. The sample container containing TAGSAM was removed from the recovery capsule in a clean room at the Utah Test and Training Range and transported to the Johnson Space Center the next day.
[▲ The lid of the sample container removed in the glove box (back) and TAGSAM (center) revealed. It can be seen that black dust is attached to the surface of TAGSAM and the inside of the container covered by the lid (Credit: NASA)]
In the clean room dedicated to the OSIRIS-REx mission at Johnson Space Center, the curation team removed the lid of the sample container on September 26, 2023 local time. Inside the container whose lid was removed in the glove box, TAGSAM, which seems to contain more samples than planned, and black dust attached to the inside of the container are revealed. Looking at the published images, you can see that dust is attached not only to the surface of TAGSAM, but also to the edge of the area where the aluminum lid and container were in contact.
According to NASA, TAGSAM will be removed from its container and placed in a sealed container filled with nitrogen gas, then moved to another glove box and careful disassembly will continue. In addition, a special live broadcast to release Bennu samples to the world will be held from 0:00 on October 12, 2023 Japan time.
Source
Image Credit: NASA, NASA Goddard, University of ArizonaNASA – OSIRIS-REx Mission (NASA Blogs)
Text/sorae editorial department
