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Since September 24, 2023, the scientists on the Osiris Rex mission have been holding a treasure in their hands without being able to touch it! In fact, the capsule containing the samples from the asteroid Bennu stubbornly refused to open. This has been happening since January 10th.
The image is monochrome and not really nice. But it reveals a treasure that scientists haven’t been able to access for several months: rock samples that the Osiris-Rex probe collected from the surface of the asteroid Bennu. If material from the small rocky body that approached in October 2020 was discovered on the lid of the capsule returned to Earth on September 24, 2023, the tens of grams collected in the capsule remained out of reach. All because two of the screws holding it tight stubbornly refused to come loose. So much so that it was necessary to develop a special tool that could be handled in a neutral atmosphere so as not to contaminate the samples. Of course it took a while…
Stones black as coal
But on January 10, 2024, the lid of the chest containing the valuable scientific treasure could finally be removed. This picture shows what’s inside: gravel of various sizes, the largest being about 1cm wide, and sand. Everything as black as coal.
Currently, NASA has not specified what mass was collected, but with the additional 70 grams located on the outside of the lid, the harvest could exceed 200 grams. This may seem low, but it would be well above the intended minimum collection (60 g). This promises great scientific studies of the early ages of the solar system.
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The Celestial Almanac 2024the new special edition of Sky and space
#Samples #asteroid #Bennu #finally