NASA Discovers Baffling Findings Inside Osiris-REX Mission Probe
NASA made a groundbreaking discovery inside the Osiris-REX mission probe, which successfully collected fragments from a distant asteroid. The space agency managed to open the pressurized compartment of the probe and announced that they found something that baffled them. With great care and precision, they will examine the valuable sample to uncover its mysteries.
After a perilous maneuver and seven years in space, the mission landed in the Utah desert last Sunday. The capsule brought a sample, taken in 2020 from the asteroid Bennu, containing an estimated 250 grams of material. However, during the operation, NASA realized that the lid of the collection container could not be closed. Despite the setback, the sample was secured and transferred to the probe as planned.
Scientists anticipated finding remains of the sample outside the collection compartment due to the lid failure. Following careful procedures, scientists at the Johnson Space Center in Houston opened a first lid in one of the laboratories’ hermetic chambers. Inside, they found “black dust and debris,” without specifying their origin.
In the coming days, a careful disassembly process from the collection compartment will allow the scientists to access the main sample located inside. A press conference is scheduled for October 11, where the analysis of the composition of the asteroid Bennu will be shared. This valuable information will shed light on the formation of the Solar System and the development of habitable conditions on Earth.
Bennu, with a diameter of 500 meters, is believed to contain water molecules encased in minerals, making it rich in carbon. There is a small probability, one in 2700, that Bennu may collide with Earth in 2182, causing catastrophic consequences. NASA has previously demonstrated the capability to alter asteroid trajectories by impacting them.
The Osiris-REX mission, launched in 2016, has been a significant endeavor for NASA. Now, with the return of the sample, scientists are eager to analyze it and further understand the mysteries of our universe. The successful landing of the capsule in the Utah desert, despite the challenges, marks a significant milestone in space exploration.