Earth Return & Sample Science Options

[Explorer1]

Let's see what they say at the press conference, but for now, an update from the blog.

The initial curation process for NASA’s OSIRIS-REx sample of asteroid Bennu is moving slower than anticipated, but for the best reason: the sample runneth over. The abundance of material found when the science canister lid was removed earlier this week has meant that the process of disassembling the TAGSAM (Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism) head – which holds the bulk of material from the asteroid – is off to a methodical start.

[stevesliva]

Some good dust accumulation for once.

I've been wondering how they'll collect it. Seems like a vacuum isn't an option.

[PDP8E]

this is from the Osiris-Rex website..

https://www.asteroidmission.org/?attachment_id=26510#main

Captured on Oct. 22, 2020 -- this series of three images shows that the Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM) sampling head on NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is full of rocks and dust collected from asteroid Bennu, as well as the fact that some of these particles are escaping the sampler head. Analysis by the OSIRIS-REx team suggests that bits of material are passing through small gaps where the head’s mylar flap is slightly wedged open. The mylar flap (the black bulge visible in the 9 o’clock position inside the ring) is designed to keep the collected material locked inside, and these unsealed areas appear to be caused by larger rocks that didn’t fully pass through the flap. Based on available imagery, the team suspects there is a plentiful sample inside the head, and is on a path to stow the sample as quickly as possible.

[Marcin600]

I’m also wondering how they will collect it from all these screws, cables, slots, nooks and crannies of the sampler???
This will have to take a long time (this amount of dust outside was not expected).
And they certainly want to collect everything down to the last, smallest micro-grain, because it is one of the most valuable materials we currently have on Earth. And it still needs to be separated from potential microparticles of the sampler itself (metal, plastic, etc.). Lots of hard work!!!

Of course, the "main sample" - initially estimated at about a quarter of a kilogram - is safe inside the TAGSAM ring, behind the "strainer" - they haven't opened it yet, because they want to do it inside a „different specialized glovebox”.

I think (and I keep my fingers crossed) that a lot of quite large "pebbles" survived...

[Explorer1]

I was hoping the spacecraft took pictures of the sample release, but didn't want to ask...
It certainly did!
Fantastic imagery!
I can almost make out a contrast in the shape of the heat shield from before/after landing (though it's difficult to make out with the desert floor obscuring the bottom).
And the release imagery, with the crescent Earth, wonderful!

[Marcin600]

https://blogs.nasa.gov/osiris-rex/wp-conten...se-sequence.gif
„This sequence of images has been processed to remove most of the scattered sunlight, bring out more detail of the capsule and release debris cloud, and prevent the Earth crescent from saturating.”
„debris cloud” - So we moved a lot of "pebbles" from one place in the interplanetary space of the Solar System to another - closer to the Sun I wonder what evolution they will go through next.

[Explorer1]

How would there still be debris from Bennu on the outside the capsule after the Earth return and all the various manoeuvres during that time? Unless it was somehow with electrostatic forces to the main spacecraft bus?

Is there any other source of debris that could be dislodged? When stages separate during launch I always see bits of ice flying about, but it couldn't be that in this case.

[Marcin600]

My rough animation composed of 2 pictures from StowCam taken on September 22, 2016 (two weeks after launch) and October 28, 2020 (after completing the final step of the sample stowage process: closing its SRC).
You can clearly see many Bennu grains "glued" (probably electrostatically) to the lid and other components of the spacecraft. I have circled some of them.
Apparently these and many other grains survived the entire flight and all the maneuvers in space. Only the process of releasing the capsule "unsticked" and released these grains, visible in space in the NASA animation.

Pictures I used:
https://www.asteroidmission.org/stowcam_22september2016/
https://www.asteroidmission.org/?attachment_id=26630#main

Attached thumbnail(s)

 

[Explorer1]

Nice work, that explains it!
Note the biggest 'piece' you circle dates back to before the sample return. It is likely a micrometeoroid impact (and definitely no trace of it anymore!)

[Marcin600]

Note the biggest 'piece' you circle dates back to before the sample return. It is likely a micrometeoroid impact (and definitely no trace of it anymore!)

Indeed, this largest speck appeared already between September 22, 2016 and March 2, 2017, i.e. definitely before sampling - so it cannot be a particle of Bennu. Fragment of the original picture description: „...A small, dark spot is visible on the surface of the SRC that was not present during the checkout images taken after launch in 2016. Subsequent analysis has shown that this spot is an indentation approximately 0.08 inches (2 mm) across – the size of a poppy seed – that may have been caused by a particle hitting the SRC during flight...”

This confirms how risky interplanetary flights are - if this micrometeorite were slightly larger and hit some vital element of the spacecraft (or e.g. a camera), it would create a serious problem, and maybe even a threat to the entire mission (I assume that the impact was at high speed (and therefore high energy) since it scratched a part of the shield)...

[Marcin600]

Progress in sample extraction: https://blogs.nasa.gov/osiris-rex/
„...Images of the bulk sample and early analysis results will be revealed during a live NASA event on Wednesday, Oct. 11 at 11 a.m. EDT.”

[climber]

At this stage, putting the whole capsule on a scale should tell them the weight of the sample. IMO. Do I miss something ?

[Explorer1]

Possibly, with just the sample collection portion alone (and subtracting the spilled dust outside), but since the heat shield ablated somewhat on re-entry, that mass loss would throw off any measurement of the entire capsule (an interesting question of whether it is more or less than was gathered from Bennu).
Just be patient a few more days!

[Marcin600]

From NASA TV
https://www.nasa.gov/nasatv/

This is what fell outside of TAGSAM (through a mylar flap that was not fully closed - blocked by a few "pebbles" during sample collection). TAGSAM and the "pebbles" it contains have not been opened yet.

Attached thumbnail(s)

 

[Explorer1]

A good problem to have TAGSAM not open yet due to all the material outside (a good problem to have!)