2023-09-26 11:23:00
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The Osiris-Rex mission, launched in 2016 with the aim of collecting samples from the asteroid Bennu, is about to bear fruit. This Sunday, the probe released its valuable cargo collected in 2020 on Earth.
However, the most surprising thing about this mission is perhaps the collaboration between NASA and an astronomer from the Astronomical Observatory, a scientific research institute that depends directly on the Holy See, with the Governatorate of the State of the City of Vatican.
NASA
The Osiris-Rex mission was launched in 2016 with the goal of collecting samples from the asteroid Bennu.
He selected astronomer is the jesuit Bob Macke. Known for his meteorite expertise, Macke was invited by Andrew Ryan, the leader of the mission’s sample analysis group, to develop a device that could analyze the density and porosity of the collected samples.
Macke MakerSpace and its picNometer
To prevent contamination of the sample, NASA’s conservation team established strict rules about what could be put in the glove box. Only about 15 materials were approved, such as stainless steel, aluminum and glass. Motors, computers and circuits were strictly prohibited. The companies that sell the ready-made devices, which cost approximately $20,000 each, They were not interested in explaining to Ryan how they could be adapted.
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However, Macke believed he could build NASA a pycnometer for Bennu samples., even with the complicated restrictions. The pycnometer is a measuring device with a predefined volume that is used to determine the density or specific weight of a liquid at a specific temperature, using gravimetric methods. The word “pycnometer” comes from the Greek term “puknos,” which means “dense.”
Over several months, and with the help of students at the University of Arizona, Macke made an instrument made up of small steel chambers, metal tubes, and valves that open and close. All electronic components are housed in a separate box located next to the clean room. Nitrogen gas will be pumped through the system. Then, Before and after pressure calculations will indicate the volume displaced by the sample.
Macke’s participation in the Osiris-Rex mission is not an isolated event, but part of a larger effort by the Vatican Observatory. This institution, a collaborator with the University of Arizona through its advanced technology telescope in Tucson, is becoming a key player in space research.
This almost indestructible asteroid will help prevent cataclysms
Macke is no stranger to spreading knowledge either. His canal de YouTube, Macke MakerSpacehas become a forum where he shares his progress and success in building the pycnometer.
The importance of Bennu
Bennu’s importance lies not only in its potential to unravel the mysteries of the universe, but also in the interdisciplinary collaboration it has sparked.
The inclusion of a pycnometer designed by Macke will allow scientists to precisely analyze the density of small grains of gravel obtained from the asteroid. This could provide answers to questions about the mysterious nature of Bennu’s rocks.
Given that the Vatican has one of the largest collections of meteorites, around 1,200 specimens, the experience Macke brings to this mission is invaluable.
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