NASA has finally revealed the extraterrestrial content that the OSIRIS-REx capsule delivered from the asteroid Bennu

After four months of waiting, NASA opened the OSIRIS-REx space capsule for study extraterrestrial samples delivered from asteroid Bennu. The first photo of the spacecraft’s head shows space material that has not changed significantly in 4.5 billion years.

Capsule OSIRIS-Rex returned to Earth in September 2023. after a journey of 2 billion kilometers. Their goal was to land on the asteroid Bennu and extract part of its surface to deliver it to laboratories. Although the probe returned safely and the integrity of its contents was never compromised during the mission, NASA encountered difficulties when attempting to open the container. Two of the 35 screws blocking access to the samples were stuck and could not be removed using agency-approved tools.

With the discovery of the mechanism, scientists gained access to all samples of space rock. NASA doesn’t know exactly how much material is in the capsule, but 70 grams were initially collected. OSIRIS-REx’s goal was to deliver at least 60 grams to Earth.

Bennu material will be analyzed for decades

The photo released by the space agency was taken before Bennu’s remains were quantified and stored at the Johnson Space Center in Texas. High resolution image shows dust and stones up to a centimeter in size. All contents are isolated from the Earth’s atmosphere. Upon arrival, the OSIRIS-REx capsule was placed in a specialized glove box under a stream of nitrogen.

According to the official blog of the US space agency, the categorization of samples will be ready at the end of 2024. Some rocks will be stored in sealed boxes that reach temperatures approaching -80 degrees Celsius. Thus, any molecular trace will be preserved for decades. Having complete and free information, Scientists and institutions from around the world will be able to study them in more depth..

What Bennu says about the solar system

The scientific community believes that Bennu, like the vast majority of asteroids, formed during the first million years of the solar system’s existence. If researchers analyze the material that makes up the object, they will also gain information about the first moments of stellar proximity. Part of the answer to the evolution of the Earth, Moon and other objects of interest such as the moons of Europa, Ganymede and Titan likely lies in the grams of matter brought by OSIRIS-REx.

The importance of the Bennu material extends beyond the geological realm. Some scientists believe this material will contain the essential components of life as we know it. One of NASA’s first analyzes showed that at least 5% of the sample was hydrated clay minerals and organic molecules. “Carbon and water molecules are exactly the type of material we wanted to find. They are critical elements in the formation of our own planet and will help us determine the origins that contributed to the origin of life,” said Bill Nelson, NASA administrator, in October 2023.

What was learned during the OSIRIS-REx mission is already being applied to other space missions. The next asteroid the probe will visit is Apophis., one of the most dangerous rocks in the solar system. In 2029, the OSIRIS-APEX mission will reach the body to extract valuable material in the same way it did with Bennu.