NASA’s Cosmic Haul Breaks Records
NASA’s Osiris-Rex spacecraft has successfully collected 121.6 grams of dust and pebbles from asteroid Bennu, doubling the intended rubble return goal. This marks the largest sample ever retrieved from beyond the moon, a milestone achievement for the space agency.
Challenges and Successes
Despite encountering obstacles with stuck fasteners delaying the opening of the sample container, NASA overcame the hurdles. The black, carbon-rich samples, a first-ever collection from an asteroid by NASA, are now securely housed at a specialized curation lab at Houston’s Johnson Space Center.
Future Endeavors
While Osiris-Rex encountered setbacks with rocks jamming the container lid, leading to some samples floating away, the spacecraft is now en route to explore another space rock. However, this next mission will only involve a flyby without a stop for additional samples.
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