"Vatican Joins NASA in Asteroid Sample Mission"
NASA's OSIRIS-Rex mission, which aims to collect samples from the asteroid Bennu, has enlisted the help of Brother Robert J. Macke, a Jesuit astronomer from the Vatican Observatory. Macke has designed a custom device called a pycnometer to measure the density of the asteroid's boulders, which could provide crucial insights into Bennu's composition. The pycnometer was built to meet NASA's strict contamination rules and will be used by scientists at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Macke, who believes there is no conflict between faith and science, sees his work as a scientist and a Jesuit as interconnected and fulfilling.