NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission has revealed its preliminary findings from the sample return mission on the asteroid Bennu. The mission, which collected 8.8 ounces (250 g) of rock and dust from Bennu in 2020, has shown the presence of a high carbon content and water, which are essential building blocks for life.
On September 24, 2023, the sample return capsule landed in Utah, completing the primary objective of the mission. However, scientists were surprised to find that there was additional material outside of the collector head, canister lid, and base, potentially increasing the amount of samples collected.
According to NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, the initial analysis of the samples indicates that they are the largest carbon-rich asteroid samples ever delivered to Earth. The hope is that these samples will improve our understanding of the origins of life on Earth, the possibility of life elsewhere in the solar system, and the composition of asteroids in general.
The study of the samples will be a lengthy process that could take decades. The samples are being handled with extreme care in new clean rooms specifically built for the asteroid mission. The capsule disassembly took 10 days, with extra material causing some delay. The samples are currently undergoing analysis using various techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, infrared measurements, X-ray diffraction, and chemical element analysis.
Only 30% of the samples will be analyzed over the next two years, with the remaining 70% preserved for future research.
Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal investigator at the University of Arizona, described the mission as unlocking a time capsule that provides insights into the origins of our solar system. The discovery of carbon-rich material and water-bearing minerals on Bennu is just the beginning, and it brings us closer to unraveling the mysteries of our cosmic heritage and understanding the potential for life’s beginnings.
The findings from the OSIRIS-REx mission are a significant milestone in our exploration of asteroids and our search for signs of life beyond Earth. The samples collected from Bennu have the potential to revolutionize our understanding of the formation and evolution of our solar system. As scientists continue to analyze the samples, we can expect even more groundbreaking discoveries that will shape our knowledge of the cosmos.
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- Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
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