NASA has transferred samples of the asteroid Bennu to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency(JAXA) as part of an international exchange of asteroid samples, strengthening scientific cooperation between the two space agencies.
Samples of the asteroid Bennu
The sample was collected by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, and officially handed over on August 22, 2024, during a ceremony held at JAXA’s campus in Sagamihara, Japan. This exchange follows the transfer of a sample from the asteroid Ryugu in November 2021, when JAXA shared with NASA a portion of the material recovered by its Hayabusa2 spacecraft.
Both missions share the same scientific goal: By trying to understand the origins of primitive asteroids and their potential embedded minerals, which can provide valuable information to find answers about the formations of the planets.
Between each group of researchers, the efforts are notable, and expressed, as follows:“We value our continued collaboration with JAXA on asteroid sample return missions,” commented Kathleen Vander Kaaden, chief scientist for astromaterials preservation in NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington.
The scientific value of space samples
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx space probe delivered 121.6 grams of material from Bennu. In addition, as part of the agreement, NASA transferred 0.66 grams of the Bennu sample to JAXA, and a “contact pad” containing dust from the asteroid. According to the scientists, the sample will be analyzed by JAXA to understand, in detail, the similarities and differences between the Bennu and Ryugu asteroids.
The first investigations of the Bennu sample have revealed the presence of dust rich in carbon, nitrogen, organic molecules, phosphorus-bearing minerals and water. These discoveries could provide critical data on the essential components for life in the early solar system. In addition, both Bennu and Ryugu are estimated to have come from an“ancient progenitor object” that formed beyond Saturn’s orbit and broke apart, transporting fragments to the inner solar system.
JAXA Astromaterials Science Research Group Director Tomohiro Usui said, “Thank you for safely bringing the valuable asteroid samples from Bennu to Earth and then to Japan. Now it is our turn at JAXA. We will move forward with our plans to obtain scientific results from these samples.”
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Source and photo: NASA
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