"Utah Desert Welcomes Historic Asteroid Sample Return, Unveiling Ancient Solar System Secrets"

NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission successfully returned a capsule carrying rock samples from the asteroid Bennu, marking the first U.S. asteroid sample-return mission. The samples, expected to be around 8.8 ounces, could provide molecular clues about the history of the solar system and the origin of life on Earth. Bennu, a carbon-rich asteroid, is believed to be a remnant of the early solar system and its rocks carry a record of the forces and processes that shaped Earth. The mission's success opens the door for further exploration and study of asteroids.