Okay, this is interesting.
Altered Carbon
Following a preliminary assessment, NASA has announced that the asteroid samples its OSIRIS-REx spacecraft took from asteroid Bennu are rich in both water and carbon — the “building blocks of life on Earth,” as NASA put it in a triumphant announcement.
The research supports the theory that space rocks like Bennu impacting Earth over the millennia may have played an important role in the development of life on our own planet.
The samples, as seen in a newly released picture showing the outside of the spacecraft’s sample collector, contain carbon-rich, hydrated clay minerals, with carbon making up roughly five percent of the weight.
“The OSIRIS-REx sample is the biggest carbon-rich asteroid sample ever delivered to Earth and will help scientists investigate the origins of life on our own planet for generations to come,” said NASA administrator Bill Nelson.
Rubble Trouble
OSIRIS-REx, which launched back in 2016, reached the 1,650-feet-across asteroid after spending two years screaming through the solar system. In 2020, its collection system called Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM) probed the asteroid’s surface, collecting an estimated 8.8 ounces of material.
Last month, the spacecraft’s precious cargo touched down in the Utah desert. Since then, scientists have been poring over the results, digging through the samples inside a clean lab. The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft itself is now making its way to a different asteroid, called Apophis.
Today’s announcement is an exciting, albeit early, indication that the mission has already been a huge success. In fact, scientists have yet to even crack open the TAGSAM itself after finding an abundance of samples in the container holding it, slowing down the ongoing analysis.
“The science obtained during the mission so far, coupled with the samples we are only now getting a glimpse of, is just the beginning of the wealth of knowledge that we can expect from OSIRIS-REx,” said Johnson Space Center chief scientist Eileen Stansbery during today’s announcement.
More on the mission: Scientists Surprised by Abundance of Material in Asteroid Sample
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Okay, this is interesting.
In a groundbreaking announcement, NASA revealed that the asteroid samples collected by its OSIRIS-REx spacecraft from asteroid Bennu contain an abundance of water and carbon. These elements, known as the “building blocks of life on Earth,” have sparked excitement among scientists and further support the theory that asteroids like Bennu contributed to the development of life on our planet.
The samples, which were captured in a newly released picture of the spacecraft’s sample collector, consist of carbon-rich, hydrated clay minerals. Carbon constitutes approximately five percent of their weight, making this the largest carbon-rich asteroid sample ever delivered to Earth. NASA administrator Bill Nelson emphasized the significance of these findings, stating that they will contribute to a deeper understanding of the origins of life on our planet for future generations.
The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft embarked on its mission in 2016 and successfully reached the 1,650-feet-across asteroid after a two-year journey through the solar system. In 2020, its collection system, the Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM), probed Bennu’s surface, gathering an estimated 8.8 ounces of material.
Last month, the spacecraft safely landed in the Utah desert, bringing the precious cargo with it. Since then, scientists have been meticulously examining the samples in a pristine laboratory. Interestingly, the ongoing analysis has been temporarily halted as researchers discovered an abundance of material packed inside the TAGSAM container, indicating the vast wealth of information yet to be uncovered.
Eileen Stansbery, the chief scientist at Johnson Space Center, expressed excitement about the mission’s progress and the promise it holds for future discoveries. The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is now en route to another asteroid named Apophis, continuing its quest to unravel the mysteries of our solar system.
Today’s announcement marks a significant milestone for NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission and highlights the potential implications for our understanding of life’s origins. As scientists eagerly anticipate the next phase of analysis, the wealth of knowledge that these asteroid samples will unlock remains to be seen.
[Read More: Scientists Surprised by Abundance of Material in Asteroid Sample]
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