NASA's Ongoing Struggle to Open Asteroid Sample Container Raises Questions
NASA is facing difficulties in opening the sample container from the asteroid Bennu, two months after successfully collecting rocks and dust from its surface. The Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM) has presented unexpected challenges, with two fasteners unable to be removed using the current tools. NASA's team is working to troubleshoot the problem, but the constraints of the OSIRIS-REx glovebox, designed to prevent contamination, have complicated the process. Despite these challenges, NASA has managed to extract 70.3 grams of material from the TAGSAM, surpassing the initial goal of 60 grams and providing valuable insights into the composition of the asteroid.