"NASA Unveils Massive Asteroid Sample After 7-Year Mission"

NASA has successfully opened the canister containing the bulk of the asteroid Bennu sample collected by the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. The sample, estimated to be 8.8 ounces, will be transferred into smaller trays for further analysis and storage at NASA's Johnson Space Center. The spacecraft, which snagged pieces of the asteroid in 2020 and returned to Earth in 2023, faced challenges in opening the canister but has now surpassed its goal of bringing at least 2.12 ounces of material. The asteroid bits will be analyzed by a global team of scientists to gain insights into the origins of the solar system, with some samples to be made available for public display.