2023-10-11 08:12:40
Houston (United States): On Wednesday, NASA reveals the first images of the largest asteroid sample ever collected in space, in addition to the first analyzes of its composition, in data that scientists around the world are eagerly awaiting. The “OSIRIS-REx” mission took this sample in 2020. From the asteroid Bennu, the capsule containing the precious payload successfully returned to Earth a little more than two weeks ago, landing in the American desert. Since then, the delicate process of opening the capsule has been held at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston. The process has already hidden some surprises. “There is a lot of material that is taking us longer than expected to recover it,” said NASA scientist Christopher Sneed, adding in a statement that this is “the best problem we can have.” Before the capsule landed, the US space agency estimated It was able to capture regarding 250 grams of material from the asteroid Bennu, much more than the amounts collected by two previous Japanese missions from other asteroids. NASA, for which this was the first maneuver, will have to confirm this estimate on Wednesday during a public event followed by a press conference. But The feedback so far is very positive. Christopher Snead explained that material was found in “abundance” even outside the collection chamber, adding, “It is truly amazing.” The happy surprise can be explained by an incident that occurred when collecting the sample: immediately following the operation, NASA realized that the lid of the collection chamber was not It closes successfully. The cargo was secured by being transferred as planned to the capsule, but because of this leak, scientists expected to find remains outside the chamber in the box in which it was located. The analysis team This “black dust” and this “debris” were known as NASA, to a rapid analysis team in order to get a preliminary idea regarding the composition of the asteroid Bennu. The sample is examined using a scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, and infrared measurements. This would allow obtaining a list of the minerals that were detected, and perhaps determining their percentage. In particular, scientists believe that the asteroid Bennu contains hydrated minerals. It is expected that studying asteroids will allow scientists to better understand the formation of the solar system, and how the Earth became habitable. Some scientists believe that asteroids such as Bennu brought to Earth compounds that later allowed life to appear. The majority of the sample will be preserved for future generations to study with new, more efficient tools and to answer new scientific questions. This is what actually happened with lunar rocks collected during the Apollo program. Analysis of the asteroid Bennu may also be useful in the future. There is a small chance (regarding one in 2,700) that the asteroid will hit Earth in 2182, a collision that would be catastrophic if it occurred. Therefore, knowing its exact composition might help, if necessary one day, in calculating the collision needed to deviate its path.
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The first images of the largest asteroid sample ever collected revealed by NASA
written by Alexandra Hartman Editor-in-Chief
2023-10-11 03:03:16
NASA is holding a public event and then a press conference on Wednesday to present the first images of the asteroid sample collected by the Osiris-Rex probe, the largest ever collected in space.
Published on: 11/10/2023 – 05:03 Modified on: 11/10/2023 – 08:10
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The event should delight all space enthusiasts: NASA is due to reveal, on Wednesday October 11, the first images of the largest asteroid sample ever collected in space, as well as the first analyzes of its composition, eagerly awaited by scientists from around the world.
The Osiris-Rex mission took this sample in 2020 from the asteroid Bennu, and the capsule containing the precious cargo successfully returned to Earth just over two weeks ago, landing in the American desert.
Since then, the meticulous process of opening the capsule has taken place in a white room at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. And the operation has already reserved some surprises.
“There is so much material that it is taking us longer than expected to recover it,” said Christopher Snead, a scientist at NASA. But this is “the best problem we can have”, he added in a press release.
Before the capsule landed, the US space agency estimated it had managed to pick up around 250 grams of material from the asteroid Bennu – far more than two previous Japanese missions to other asteroids.
The laboratory where samples from the asteroid Bennu collected by the Osiris-Rex probe are analyzed, July 24, 2023 in Houston, Texas. © Mark Felix, AFP
NASA, for whom such a maneuver was a first, will have to confirm this estimate on Wednesday during a public event, then a press conference. But the echoes so far might not be more positive. Material was found “in abundance” even outside the collection compartment, explained Christopher Snead. “It’s truly spectacular.”
“Black Dust”
The happy surprise can be explained by an incident that occurred when the sample was collected: just following the operation, NASA realized that the flap of the collection compartment was unable to close.
The cargo had managed to be secured by being transferred as planned into the capsule, but because of this leak, scientists expected that residue would be found outside the compartment, in the box where it had been place.
This “black dust” and this “debris”, in the words of NASA, were entrusted to a rapid analysis team, in order to obtain a first idea of the composition of Bennu.
The sample is screened using a scanning electron microscope, x-ray diffraction, and infrared measurements.
This should make it possible to obtain an inventory of the minerals observed, and perhaps to determine their proportion. In particular, scientists believe that Bennu contains hydrated minerals.
Image taken by NASA’s Osiris-Rex probe on December 2, 2018, showing the asteroid Bennu. © NASA, Goddard / University of Arizona, AFP
The study of asteroids should allow scientists to better understand the formation of the solar system and how the Earth became habitable.
Asteroids like Bennu might have brought to Earth the compounds that subsequently allowed the birth of life, some scientists believe.
The majority of the sample will be preserved to be studied by future generations, with new, more efficient instruments, and to answer new scientific questions. This is what was done for the lunar rocks brought back during the Apollo program.
Bennu’s analysis might also prove useful in the future. There is a small chance (one chance in 2,700) that the asteroid will hit Earth in 2182, a collision that would be catastrophic.
Knowing its exact composition might thus help, if necessary one day, to calculate the impact necessary to deviate its trajectory.
With AFP
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#images #largest #asteroid #sample #collected #revealed #NASA
Osiris Returns to Earth: Discovering Suspected Asteroid Fragments in the Sample Tank
written by Alexandra Hartman Editor-in-Chief
2023-09-27 14:18:25
Osiris returned to Earth and found suspected asteroid fragments in the sample tank – News – Rti Central Radio Close Voice of Taiwan Download the official APP immediately Skip to main content::: Time: 2023-09-27 22:18 News Quotes : Central News Agency Writing Editor: News Editor NASA scientists opened the sample tank of the space probe “Osiris” that brought asteroid samples back to Earth on the 26th and found black debris. (Picture: @Astromaterials Twitter) After 7 years of waiting, on the 26th, scientists from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) opened the sample canister of the space probe “Osiris” that brought asteroid samples back to Earth, and found black fragments. NASA said that researchers opened the sample canister returned by Osiris-Rex on the 26th and found “black dust and debris” on the avionics deck, but NASA did not specify the dust and debris. Whether the fragments belong to this asteroid. Scientists can’t wait to study the samples, which will require “precise disassembly” of the robotic arm that collected them. The spacecraft Osiris was launched in 2016, and four years later it collected regarding 250 grams of dust samples from the rocky surface of the asteroid Bennu. NASA said even this small number should “help us better understand the types of asteroids that may threaten Earth.” On the 24th, the Osiris sample recovery capsule passed through the Earth’s atmosphere and landed in the desert of Utah in the western United States, completing a journey of 6.21 billion kilometers. A press conference will be held on October 11 to show these samples to the public. Scientists believe that analyzing this asteroid will allow researchers to better understand the formation of the solar system and why the Earth is habitable. Most of the samples will be preserved for future research, regarding 1/4 will be immediately used for experiments, and a small number of samples will be transferred to mission partners Japan and Canada. Related messages Latest and more in this category::: Program list Chinese online listening Asian language Live Taiwanese Cantonese and European and American foreign language Live
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NASA finds “black dust” when opening the Osiris-Rex capsule
written by Alexandra Hartman Editor-in-Chief
2023-09-26 23:37:00
A first lid of the Osiris-Rex capsule which collected pieces of the asteroid Bennu was opened by NASA, which announced on Tuesday that it had immediately “found black dust and debris”. The bulk of the sample has yet to be collected.
Published on: 09/27/2023 – 01:37 Modified on: 09/27/2023 – 01:36
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NASA began to open the capsule of the Osiris-Rex mission which collected pieces of asteroid, and announced on Tuesday September 26 that it had found “black dust and debris” inside, even before reaching the bulk of the sample.
Seven years following takeoff, the capsule landed on Earth on Sunday, in the American desert, following a high-risk maneuver. NASA estimates that it managed to collect around 250 grams of material from the asteroid Bennu in 2020 – the largest asteroid sample ever collected.
At the time of this operation, the space agency realized that the flap of the collection compartment was not able to close. But the cargo had finally managed to be secured by being transferred as planned to the capsule. Because of this leak, however, scientists expected that residue would be found outside the collection compartment, in the box where it was placed.
Press conference on October 11
A first lid was opened on Tuesday, in an airtight chamber at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. NASA teams then immediately “found black dust and debris”, announced NASA, without saying if they were indeed pieces of an asteroid. This material will be analyzed, and the “careful disassembly process” of the collection compartment will take place, “in order to access the main sample inside” it, wrote the space agency. A press conference is planned for October 11 to “unveil the sample”.
Analyzing the composition of the asteroid Bennu should allow scientists to better understand the formation of the solar system and how the Earth became habitable.
With AFP
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