[ad_1]
Two days ago, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission landed and sampled an asteroid passing through space. We now have confirmation that the spacecraft recovered enough material for the mission to be considered a success; in fact, you may have sampled too much.
The goal of OSIRIS-REx was to bring home at least 2 ounces (60 grams) of material from the asteroid’s surface. One of the ways NASA planned to verify this was to weigh the sample for the next several weeks by spinning the spacecraft (there is no gravity so we have to simulate it). However, the images transmitted by the probe show that enough material has been recovered.
A handful of dirt
The spacecraft’s Touch-and-Go sample acquisition mechanism, or TAGSAM, which was tasked with retrieving the asteroid sample, appeared to be full of particles, according to ground control. It’s actually overflowing to some extent, as the mylar flap that acts as the collector’s lid is slightly open by larger rocks in the sample.
Right now, they are working to store the sample as quickly as possible to avoid wasting material in space. They fear that any additional movement of the instrument or the vessel as a whole could give off additional dust or cause further loss of the sample.
“Although we may have to move faster to store the sample, it is not a serious problem. We are very excited to see what appears to be a rich display that will inspire science for decades beyond this historic moment, ”said Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA associate administrator for science at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, DC.
To preserve the sample, NASA decided not to start measuring the mass of the sample (which included a braking burn on Friday) as originally planned. Instead, they will focus on transferring it to the return pod, where any loose material will be kept secure.
