Title: NASA Faces Challenges in Accessing Asteroid Sample From Bennu
NASA’s recent successful return of an asteroid sample from Bennu has encountered a setback as the space agency faces challenges accessing a significant portion of the sample. The Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM), responsible for collecting the sample, cannot be opened completely due to some technical difficulties.
Specifically, two fasteners on the TAGSAM head were found to be stubbornly resistant to removal using the current suite of tools approved for use in the OSIRIS-REx glovebox. These tools must fit inside the “glovebox” to ensure the samples remain pristine and uncontaminated.
Consequently, the NASA team is now confronted with the task of identifying ways to access the remaining material using their available tools or developing new ones that can fit within the restricted space of the glovebox.
Despite these challenges, NASA has already achieved significant success in its quest to retrieve asteroid samples. The team has managed to obtain 70.3 grams of rocks and dust from both inside and outside the sample head, surpassing their initial goal. However, an undisclosed amount of material remains lodged within the sample head, awaiting proper extraction due to the unresolved fastener issue.
In the coming weeks, NASA plans to dedicate efforts towards devising and practicing a new technique to remove these pesky fasteners. Simultaneously, the team will continue processing the samples they have already extracted for further analysis and study.
The return of the Bennu asteroid sample marks a major milestone for NASA and the scientific community. Analyzing extraterrestrial materials provides valuable insights into the formation of our solar system and potentially reveals clues about the origins of life on Earth. As such, scientists are eager to overcome the present challenges and access the entirety of the Bennu sample.
Although the current setback is undoubtedly frustrating, NASA remains optimistic about resolving the issue and recovering the remaining material for examination. The dedication and expertise of the NASA team, combined with the agency’s commitment to pushing scientific boundaries, give hope that these obstacles will soon be surmounted.
As the situation unfolds, the entire scientific community anticipates further updates from NASA regarding their progress in accessing the Bennu asteroid samples. This extraordinary mission not only showcases the tremendous capabilities of human space exploration but also underscores the unyielding spirit of scientific discovery that drives our understanding of the universe we inhabit.
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