More than three and a half months after NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft dropped a precious sample of asteroid dust, scientists have finally managed to remove the lid of the sample container.
The team can now finally disassemble the Touch and Go Sample Collection Mechanism (TAGSAM) container and complete the steps necessary to access the rocks and soil collected from asteroid Bennu. Once recovered, the samples can be divided and distributed to scientific teams around the world.
“Finally opening up the TAGSAM head and providing full access to the returned Bennu samples is a monumental accomplishment that reflects the unwavering dedication and ingenuity of our team.” says astronomer Dante Lauretta from the Lunar and Planetary Institute at the University of Arizona.
“This success reaffirms the importance of OSIRIS-REx and our commitment to advancing our understanding of the universe. We are excited to share these precious samples with the global scientific community and We eagerly look forward to the next chapter as we continue our journey of discovery.”
Osiris-Rex made its approach to Earth on September 24th, descending from TAGSAM after an epic mission that took more than seven years. The capsule was parachuted into the Utah desert, where it was efficiently recovered, immediately transported to a clean facility, and opened with minimal ground contamination.
Although the outer capsule opened quite easily, giving scientists access to 70 grams of asteroid dust, TAGSAM’s main head, which contains the bulk of the sample, remained tightly sealed against the team’s best efforts. It was still there. The container is sealed with 35 fasteners, two of which remain stubbornly resistant to tools approved for use in the sterile glove box where opening takes place. Ta.
To solve this problem, the team had to develop a new tool. They designed his two new multi-part tools, but they had to undergo rigorous testing and rehearsal before they were finally used in the glove box of his actual TAGSAM head.
Although disassembly is still required before the complete sample can be viewed, extracted, and measured, at least the critical hurdles with these two fasteners have been resolved. Now science can move forward.
“In addition to the design challenge of limiting the scientific value of asteroid samples to curation-approved materials, these new tools are designed to fit in a glove box that limits the height, weight, and potential for… It also needed to work within space: arc movement.” says petrologist Nicole Lanning.OSIRIS-REx curator at NASA Johnson Space Flight Center.
“The curation team has shown great resilience and has done an incredible job removing these stubborn fasteners from TAGSAM’s heads, allowing us to continue disassembling them. We are overjoyed with our success.”
Now, finally, we may be able to applaud the largest amount of asteroid soil ever successfully collected and delivered to Earth by a human mission.
OSIRIS-REx, now renamed OSIRIS-APEX, is currently flying toward Apophis, another asteroid and potentially dangerous object. That meeting is scheduled to take place in 2029.