Take a look at our out-of-this-world OSIRIS-REx sample collector. It has managed to contain sample material from asteroid Bennu, and scientists are already amazed by the discoveries. Samples have revealed evidence of both carbon and water from this ancient asteroid. More thriller details on this asteroid’s remnants are enclosed at the inside of the capsule. Yet, scientists have their attention on the potential hidden secrets of these early solar system materials.
“We definitely have hydrated, organic-rich remnants from the early solar system, which is exactly what we were hoping when we first conceived this mission almost 20 years ago,” Dante Lauretta, the mission’s principal investigator, stated at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) conference happening this week in California and online. “I fully expect the cosmochemistry community is going to go to town on this.”
Professor Lauretta added that the black-colored particles from the outer lid of the sample capsule are rich in carbon and organic molecules. These particles give a rugged, “cauliflower-like texture” which scientists are eager to learn more about. “They cling to everything we touch them with,” Lauretta said.
When the OSIRIS-REx craft unexpectedly plunged 1.6 feet in Bennu’s surface, it successfully scooped up a lot of material, much more than planned. Unfortunately, particles began leaking out of the sample collector’s head, but they were still protected inside its outer lid. The mission is experiencing complications due to fasteners and it is currently waiting for new tools to be approved. The collected material amounts to 70.3 grams — higher than the mission’s mandated minimum of 60 grams.