NASA Knows Space But Is Still Figuring Out How To Open Its Asteroid Sample Container

NASA has collected a small amount of the rock and dust sample that its OSIRIS-REx spacecraft brought back from the asteroid Bennu. However, it is having a bit of trouble accessing the rest. That's because the team is having issues loosening two of the 35 fasteners on the Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM).

The space agency reports that it has been able to retrieve 2.48 ounces (70.3 grams) of rock and dust from the sampler hardware, which already surpasses the goal of bringing back at least 60 grams to Earth. The small amount that has been collected so far includes rock and dust on the outside of the sampler head, as well as a portion of the bulk sample from inside the head that was accessed through the head's mylar flap.

The inability to loosen two of the fasteners on TAGSAM has the team changing its approach to opening the TAGSAM head. The two stubborn fasteners are refusing to loosen with current tools approved for use in the OSIRIS-REx glovebox. This has led the team to begin developing and implementing new approaches to extracting the material inside the head, while maintaining the safe and pristine state of the sample.

According to NASA, one step that is currently being implemented is practicing a new procedure to remove the remaining asteroid sample from the TAGSAM sampler head while simultaneously processing the material that was previously collected. The team will also continue with its plan to characterize the extracted material and start the analysis of the bulk sample already obtained.

The work is being conducted in a specialized glovebox under a flow of nitrogen to keep it from being exposed to Earth's atmosphere. This will preserve the sample's "pristine state" for future scientific analysis. The team must develop tools that can fit within the glovebox and not compromise the scientific integrity of the collected rock and dust sample.

NASA's TAGSAM team has removed the TAGSAM head from the active flow of nitrogen in the glovebox and stored it in its transfer container while the procedure to access the final portion is being developed. It has been sealed with an O-ring and surrounded by a sealed Teflon bag to ensure the sample is kept safe in a stable environment.