The aluminum canister housing fragments of an ancient space rock has been successfully opened, revealing the majority of the asteroid Bennu sample.
Earlier this month, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx team successfully unlocked the TAGSAM (Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism) head, overcoming challenges posed by two stuck fasteners.
With the sampler head now open, NASA unveiled the previously unseen samples, showcasing a substantial portion of the asteroid’s content.
This development is significant for global science teams eagerly awaiting a sample that may provide insights into the origin of the solar system.
Several steps remain before the bulk of the asteroid sample can be extracted, Gizmodo reported.
The curation team will proceed to remove the round metal collar and transfer the remaining sample from the TAGSAM head into smaller pie-wedge-shaped sample trays.
These trays will undergo documentation through photography, followed by weighing, packaging, and storage at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
Written by B.C. Begley
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B.C. Begley 