NASA Successfully Retrieves Trapped Asteroid Sample after Fastener Breakthrough
NASA successfully overcame a challenging obstacle by devising innovative tools to release trapped material from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu Discover the astounding revelations unveiled by this precious asteroid sample
Subscribe to CNN's Wonder Theory science newsletter for the latest news on incredible discoveries and scientific breakthroughs, including the recent release of invaluable material sampled from an asteroid after a months-long effort by NASA.
The space agency has successfully gathered 2.5 ounces (70 grams) of rocks and dust from the OSIRIS-REx mission, which involved a journey of nearly 4 billion miles to collect the unprecedented sample from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu.
However, NASA disclosed in October that some material was still inaccessible, located in a capsule inside an instrument known as the Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism - a robotic arm with a storage container at one end that retrieved the sample from Bennu.
The sampler head is secured with 35 fasteners, as stated by NASA, however, two of them were found to be extremely challenging to open.
Releasing the mechanism is a complex undertaking, requiring the space agency to utilize preapproved materials and tools near the capsule to reduce the possibility of sample damage or contamination.
NASA/Goddard/SwRI/Johns Hopkins APL
New images from NASA missions asteroid flyby have revealed a puzzling discovery. "These new tools also needed to function within the tightly-confined space of the glovebox, limiting their height, weight, and potential arc movement," stated Dr. Nicole Lunning, OSIRIS-REx curation lead at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "The curation team displayed impressive resilience and did incredible work to remove these stubborn fasteners off the TAGSAM head so we can continue disassembly. We are thrilled with the success."
NASA created two tools from surgical steel, the hardest metal approved for use in the pristine curation gloveboxes, to address the issue. Prior to addressing the stuck fasteners, the team at Johnson Space Center tested the tools in a "rehearsal lab," gradually increasing the torque applied to ensure that the new tools could effectively remove the unyielding clasps.
NASA has not yet revealed the trapped sample material from the asteroid as of Thursday afternoon. The space agency indicates that there are still a few more disassembly steps to be taken before the hidden cache can be photographed, extracted, and weighed.
NASA researchers found plentiful water and carbon in the samples harvested from Bennu last fall, suggesting the presence of hydrated clay minerals on the asteroid. This discovery supports the theory that water arrived on Earth from asteroids billions of years ago.
"The presence of oceans, lakes, rivers, and rain on Earth is attributed to the arrival of clay minerals 4 to 4.5 billion years ago, making our planet habitable," explained Dante Lauretta, principal investigator of OSIRIS-REx, in October. "This demonstrates how water became integrated into the solid material." Lauretta, a regents professor of planetary science and cosmochemistry at the University of Arizona, made these remarks.
According to a news release from NASA on Thursday, some of the samples collected from Bennu have been securely sealed in storage containers for future study lasting decades.
