NASA and JAXA exchange asteroid samples

NASA and JAXA exchange asteroid samples
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Aug 26, 2024

NASA has transferred a portion of the asteroid Bennu sample, collected by its OSIRIS-REx mission, to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) as part of an asteroid sample exchange. The handover took place during a ceremony on Aug. 22 at JAXA's Sagamihara campus in Japan.

This exchange follows the November 2021 event when JAXA provided NASA with a sample from asteroid Ryugu, retrieved by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft. This collaboration is intended to enhance scientific research and technological cooperation between the two agencies, focusing on understanding the origins of organic-rich asteroids and their role in planetary formation.

"We value our continued collaboration with JAXA on asteroid sample return missions to both increase our science return and reduce risk on these and other missions," said Kathleen Vander Kaaden, chief scientist for astromaterials curation in the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "JAXA has extensive curation capabilities, and we look forward to what we will learn from the shared analysis of the OSIRIS-REx samples."

The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft delivered 4.29 ounces (121.6 grams) of material from Bennu, more than double the mission's mass requirement. Additionally, it included 24 steel Velcro pads containing dust from the asteroid's surface. Under the agreement, NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston transferred 0.023 ounces (0.66 grams) of the Bennu sample, equating to 0.55% of the total mass, along with one of the 24 contact pads to JAXA.

In 2021, JAXA shared 0.19 ounces (5.4 grams) of the Ryugu sample with NASA, which included 23 millimeter-sized grains and aggregate material. This cooperation enables both countries to maximize the scientific value of these samples while sharing the responsibility for their curation.

JAXA will store the Bennu samples in newly expanded clean rooms at the extraterrestrial sample curation center on its Sagamihara campus. The samples, enclosed in non-reactive nitrogen gas, will be opened in nitrogen-filled chambers using air-tight gloves. JAXA plans to perform an initial analysis of the samples, including weight measurements, imaging with visible and infrared light microscopes, and infrared spectroscopy. The sample will then be distributed for further study at other research institutes to compare and contrast the properties of Bennu and Ryugu.

"Thank you for safely bringing the precious asteroid samples from Bennu to Earth and then to Japan," said Tomohiro Usui, Astromaterials Science Research Group Manager, Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, JAXA. "As fellow curators, we understand the tension and responsibility that accompany these tasks. Now, it is our turn at JAXA. We will go ahead with our plans to derive significant scientific outcomes from these valuable samples."

Asteroids, remnants from the early solar system, offer critical insights into its formation. The Sun and planets formed from a cloud of dust and gas approximately 4.6 billion years ago, and asteroids are believed to date back to the early history of our solar system. Missions like OSIRIS-REx and Hayabusa2 provide valuable data on the solar system's evolution.

Initial studies of the Bennu samples have identified dust rich in carbon and nitrogen. The OSIRIS-REx analysis team also discovered organic molecules and minerals containing phosphorus and water, suggesting the presence of essential building blocks for life.

Both Bennu and Ryugu samples appear to originate from ancient parent bodies formed beyond Saturn's current orbit before migrating into the inner solar system. Ongoing detailed chemical analyses continue to reveal differences between these two asteroids.