SCIENTISTS ARE WORKING TO REMOVE THE LID FROM TAGSAM'S HEAD. (Robert Markowitz / NASA)
More than 3.5 months have passed since OSIRIS-REx returned it to Earth, and we have finally obtained the first high-resolution images of the contents of NASA's precious Bennu asteroid sampler container.
The delay was due to two nasty fasteners holding the sampler cover in place and finally opening on January 10th.
On January 19, NASA released the long-awaited first image of the sampler's contents — black dust and rocks about 1 centimeter (0.4 inches) in size.
Top view of the head of the OSIRIS-REx Touch-and-Go Sample Collection Facility (TAGSAM) with the lid removed to reveal the remainder of the asteroid sample inside.
This may seem ordinary, but don't forget that you're looking at asteroid material that is thought to have been untouched for about 4.5 billion years and may provide new clues to the origins of our solar system.
The sample was dropped during the OSIRIS-REx flyby of Earth on September 24.
ALTHOUGH THE OUTER CAPSULE WAS EASY TO OPEN, GIVING SCIENTISTS ACCESS TO 70 GRAMS (2.48 OUNCES) OF ASTEROID DUST, THE TAGSAM MAIN HEAD THAT HOLDS MOST OF THE SAMPLES REMAINED TIGHTLY SEALED, DESPITE THE TEAM'S BEST EFFORTS.
Now that it's open, the team will determine the quality of the final sample they will now be able to access over the next few weeks.
It's open! It's open! and get ready for close-ups. After the last two fasteners were successfully removed on January 10, members of the @astromaterials team used special techniques to photograph samples of the #OSIRISREx asteroid to obtain ultra-high-resolution images. https://t.co/bBrfFT3FoR pic.twitter.com/NTGMVFZCP3
— NASA Solar System (@NASASolarSystem) January 19, 2024
Above was taken by Erika Blumenfeld, Creative Lead for Advanced Imaging and Visualization of Celestial Materials (AIVA), and Joe Aebersold, Project Lead for AIVA.
In the next step, the team will remove the circular metal collar shown in the diagram and prepare to transfer the remaining sample from the "Touch-and-Ready" Sample Collection Mechanism (TAGSAM) head into a pie-shaped sample tray.
The trays will then be photographed and the samples will be weighed, packaged, and stored at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Close-up of Bennu's boulder-covered surface taken at 4.5 km (2.8 mi) on April 11, 2019.
Once the full catalogue of Bennu samples is published later this year, scientists around the world will submit requests to display or study the samples.
Importantly, 75% of the sample will be stored for future analysis.
On January 10, Dante Lauretta, an astronomer at the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, said, "Finally opening the TAGSAM head and fully accessing the returned Bennu sample is a tremendous achievement that reflects the unwavering dedication and ingenuity of our team." ”
"This success reaffirms the importance of OSIRIS-REx and our commitment to advancing our understanding of the universe. We eagerly look forward to the next chapter as we share these precious samples with the global scientific community and continue our journey of discovery. ”
OSIRIS-REx (now renamed OSIRIS-APEX) is currently on its way to another asteroid, the potentially dangerous object Apophis. The rendezvous will take place in 2029.
Portions of this article are adapted from an earlier report by ScienceAlert in January 2024