sample return mission
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NASA to Rewrite Mars Sample Return Mission So It Can Actually Happen
NASA is considering alternative ways to bring back samples from Mars after its budget and schedule for the sample return mission was deemed unrealistic in a recent report by an independent review board. During a meeting of the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group held earlier this week, NASA announced the formation of a response team…
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Returned Asteroid Samples Are an ‘Astrobiologist’s Dream,’ NASA Says
The OSIRIS-REx canister still contains the bulk of the asteroid sample inside, but pieces of the ancient space rock found on the outside have already shown evidence of organic matter embedded within tiny bits of debris. On Wednesday, NASA revealed the first look at samples returned from asteroid Bennu through its OSIRIS-REx mission. Scientists performed…
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Returned Asteroid Sample Canister Contains Way More Asteroid Than Expected
Scientists working to open up the sample canister containing rock and dust from asteroid Bennu have run into a problem: there’s just too much of it. The process of disassembling the TAGSAM (Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism) head is taking longer than anticipated due to the abundance of material found when the canister lid was removed…
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NASA Transports Mock Asteroid Sample as It Prepares for OSIRIS-REx Return
After landing on an asteroid nearly three years ago to scoop up a sample from its rocky surface, the OSIRIS-REx mission is finally in the homestretch. NASA is preparing for the special delivery of the rocky sample next month and the agency just pulled off the most realistic rehearsal for the big day. From July…