NASA’s Bennu Asteroid Sample Contains Carbon and Water

Initial analyses of the 4.5-billion-year-old Bennu Asteroid Sample sent to Earth by NASA show evidence of high carbon content and water, implying that the building blocks of life on Earth may be discovered in the rock. NASA announced the news on Wednesday from its Johnson Space Center in Houston, where executives and scientists displayed the asteroid material for the first time since its September landing.

This discovery was made as part of NASA's OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security—Regolith Explorer) science team's preliminary assessment.

“The OSIRIS-REx sample is the biggest carbon-rich asteroid sample ever delivered to Earth and will help scientists investigate the origins of life on our own planet for generations to come,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Almost everything we do at NASA seeks to answer questions about who we are and where we come from. NASA missions like OSIRIS-REx will improve our understanding of asteroids that could threaten Earth while giving us a glimpse into what lies beyond. The sample has made it back to Earth, but there is still so much science to come – science like we’ve never seen before.”  

Although further research is needed to understand the nature of the carbon compounds discovered, the initial discovery speaks well for future asteroid sample investigations. The secrets contained within the asteroid's rocks and dust will be studied for decades to come, providing insights into how our solar system formed, how the precursor materials to life may have been seeded on Earth, and what precautions must be taken to avoid asteroid collisions with our home planet.

Bennu Asteroid Sample Bonus material

The OSIRIS-REx Bennu Asteroid Sample Collection goal was to collect 60 grams of asteroid material. Curation experts at NASA Johnson have spent the last 10 days meticulously disassembling the sample return hardware to have a look at the bulk sample within, working in new clean rooms developed just for the mission. When scientists first opened the science canister lid, they discovered extra asteroid material covering the outside of the collector head, canister lid, and base. Because there was so much additional material, the rigorous process of collecting and confining the primary sample was hampered.

“Our labs were ready for whatever Bennu had in store for us,” said Vanessa Wyche, director, NASA Johnson. “We’ve had scientists and engineers working side-by-side for years to develop specialized gloveboxes and tools to keep the asteroid material pristine and to curate the samples so researchers now and decades from now can study this precious gift from the cosmos.”

Asteroid Sample Analysis

Within the first two weeks, scientists performed “quick-look” analyses of that initial material, collecting images from a scanning electron microscope, infrared measurements, X-ray diffraction, and chemical element analysis. X-ray computed tomography was also used to produce a 3D computer model of one of the particles, highlighting its diverse interior. This early glimpse provided evidence of abundant carbon and water in the sample.

“As we peer into the ancient secrets preserved within the dust and rocks of asteroid Bennu, we are unlocking a time capsule that offers us profound insights into the origins of our solar system,” said Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal investigator, University of Arizona, Tucson. “The bounty of carbon-rich material and the abundant presence of water-bearing clay minerals are just the tip of the cosmic iceberg. These discoveries, made possible through years of dedicated collaboration and cutting-edge science, propel us on a journey to understand not only our celestial neighborhood but also the potential for life’s beginnings. With each revelation from Bennu, we draw closer to unraveling the mysteries of our cosmic heritage.”

For the next two years, the mission’s science team will continue characterizing the samples and conducting the analysis needed to meet the mission’s science goals. NASA will preserve at least 70% of the sample at Johnson for further research by scientists worldwide, including future generations of scientists. As part of OSIRIS-REx’s science program, a cohort of more than 200 scientists around the world will explore the regolith’s properties, including researchers from many U.S. institutions, NASA partners JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), CSA (Canadian Space Agency), and other scientists from around the world. Additional samples will also be loaned later this fall to the Smithsonian Institution, Space Center Houston, and the University of Arizona for public display.

OSIRIS-REx Mission Management

NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, provides overall mission management, systems engineering, and safety and mission assurance for OSIRIS-REx. Lauretta, the principal investigator, leads the science team and the mission’s science observation planning and data processing. Lockheed Martin Space in Littleton, Colorado, built the spacecraft, provided flight operations, and was responsible for capsule recovery. Goddard and KinetX Aerospace were responsible for navigating the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. Curation for OSIRIS-REx, including processing the sample when it arrived on Earth, is taking place at NASA Johnson.

OSIRIS-REx is the third mission in NASA’s New Frontiers Program, managed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

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