NASA finally opened the space capsule containing the largest asteroid sample ever collected by a space mission. The sample came from Bennu, a potentially hazardous asteroid that’s like a time capsule from the early solar system. On 26 September 2023, scientists at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston opened the lid on the sample return canister from the OSIRIS-REx mission, which had returned to Earth two days earlier with a sample from the asteroid.

As the lid was lifted, scientists gasped at what they saw: a layer of black dust and debris on the avionics deck of the canister. Also, the sample weighed 100 grams more than what was collected at Bennu. This was unexpected, as the sample was safely stored in a sealed container all along the way.

So, how did this happen in the first place? What’s the source of the unexpected black dust on the avionics deck of the canister? Finally, and most importantly, what do scientists expect to find in the detailed analysis of the largest asteroid sample that has ever returned to Earth?

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