Vatican Scientist Collaborates with NASA on Groundbreaking Space Mission

Brother Robert Macke, a Jesuit astronomer at the Vatican Observatory, has played a crucial role in NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission by constructing a custom-built device called a pycnometer to study asteroid material. The pycnometer had to meet specific requirements to avoid contamination and Macke was the only one able to create the exact device needed. The samples collected from the asteroid Bennu will be studied to gain insights into the origins of the solar system and the nature of asteroids. Macke will continue to be involved in the study of the samples, contributing to the wealth of knowledge being developed. The Vatican Observatory, which Macke is a part of, has a long history of collaborations with scientific institutions worldwide and occasionally participates in NASA missions.