NASA showed samples from the asteroid Bennu, which were delivered to Earth last fall

Scientists have finally been able to show the contents of a container with samples of rocks and dust from the asteroid Bennu. They took the corresponding image, which was published on the website of NASA.

These are the samples that were delivered to Earth as part of the OSIRIS-REx mission last September. Then the spacecraft landed in the desert of Utah (USA), so scientists began to study the material that was outside the main container.

Due to the difficulties encountered, the specialists were unable to open the container with the samples for several months. Eventually, they tested and used special tools to solve the problem.

Now the samples from the asteroid will be photographed and weighed, then packed and sent for storage at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. It is here that the largest collection of astromaterials in the world is located.

As you know, even before the container was opened, specialists were able to collect more than 70 grams of sample from the asteroid. This exceeds the goal of the scientists, who expected to get 60 grams of rocks and dust from Bennu.

To recap, the material outside the container was found to contain 5% carbon and a large amount of water in the form of hydrated clay minerals.