NASA Returns Largest-Ever Asteroid Sample: After 7 Years and Billions of Kilometers, a Handful of Dust is Brought Back

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission has successfully returned a small black capsule containing the largest ever sample of dust and rock from an asteroid. The seven-year mission involved orbiting the near-Earth asteroid Bennu for two and a half years to study its surface and properties. By analyzing these samples, scientists hope to gain insights into the origins of the Solar System and life itself. Additionally, studying asteroids can help understand the potential risks they pose to Earth. Sample return missions are crucial for in-depth analysis of extraterrestrial bodies, and OSIRIS-REx is the fourth mission to bring back such material. The spacecraft will now redirect itself towards another asteroid called Apophis for future exploration.