The curation team at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston has successfully removed the two fasteners that had impeded access to the remaining sample material collected from OSIRIS-REx’s asteroid Bennu. The curation team collected 2.48 ounces (70.3 grams) of asteroid material, surpassing NASA’s goal of bringing at least 60 grams to Earth.
Eileen Stansbery, division chief for ARES (Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science) at Johnson, appreciated the dedication of the team, stating, “Our engineers and scientists have worked tirelessly behind the scenes for months to not only process the more than 70 grams of material we were able to access previously but also design, develop, and test new tools that allowed us to move past this hurdle.”
The disassembly of the Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM) head is now underway, revealing rocks and dust delivered by NASA’s first asteroid sample return mission.
“The innovation and dedication of this team has been remarkable. We are all excited to see the remaining treasure OSIRIS-REx holds,” Stansbery added.
Following additional disassembly steps, image specialists will capture ultra-high-resolution pictures of the bulk sample still inside the TAGSAM head. This portion will then be removed, weighed, and the total mass of Bennu material captured by the mission will be determined.
Roadblock faced by the team
The curation team faced a challenge in mid-October when two fasteners could not be removed with the approved tools inside the OSIRIS-REx glovebox.
Following this challenge, new multi-part tools were designed. This one featured custom-fabricated bits made from surgical, non-magnetic stainless steel.
Dr. Nicole Lunning, OSIRIS-REx curator at Johnson, highlighted the design challenge, stating, “In addition to the design challenge of being limited to curation-approved materials to protect the scientific value of the asteroid sample, these new tools also needed to function within the tightly-confined space of the glovebox.”
However, it was not that simple. Before even starting the successful removal, the team rigorously tested the tools and removal procedures in a rehearsal lab, which demonstrated success in achieving the required torque while minimising the risk of damage to the TAGSAM head. It also reduced the risk of contamination of the sample.
(With inputs from agencies)
