NASA Successfully Removes Stubborn Fasteners, Releasing Valuable Asteroid Material
NASA recently announced a major breakthrough in its mission to collect samples from the asteroid Bennu. After facing challenges in extracting all the valuable material from the Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM) capsule, the space agency has finally removed two stubborn fasteners, releasing invaluable material from the asteroid.
The OSIRIS-REx mission, which traveled nearly 4 billion miles before landing in Utah, had already collected around 2.5 ounces of rocks and dust from Bennu. However, in October, it was revealed that some material remained trapped inside the TAGSAM capsule.
The sampler head was held shut by 35 fasteners, but two of them proved difficult to open. To address this issue, NASA engineers created two specialized tools from surgical steel. These tools were designed to tackle the stuck fasteners without damaging or contaminating the samples.
With the successful removal of the stubborn fasteners, NASA is now one step closer to fully accessing the trapped sample material. However, a few additional disassembly steps are required before the material can be photographed, extracted, and weighed.
While the specific composition of the trapped samples has not yet been revealed, previous analysis of the Bennu samples showcased the presence of abundant water in the form of hydrated clay minerals, as well as carbon. This discovery has sparked excitement among scientists, as understanding water on asteroids can provide insights into how it arrived on Earth billions of years ago and contributed to making the planet habitable.
Additionally, some of the previously harvested Bennu samples have been stored for future study over several decades. These samples hold great potential for researchers to delve deeper into the mysteries of our solar system and gain a better understanding of its origins.
The successful removal of the stubborn fasteners marks a significant milestone for NASA’s space exploration efforts. It highlights the ingenuity and perseverance of the agency’s engineers and scientists in unlocking the secrets of the universe. As NASA continues to push the boundaries of space exploration, the world eagerly awaits the exciting discoveries that lie ahead.
