NASA's OSIRIS-REx Mission Reveals Remaining Asteroid Bennu Sample

High-resolution photography shows extreme detail of the sample, with final mass determination and a catalog release expected in the coming weeks.

NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission has successfully revealed the remaining sample of asteroid Bennu, after overcoming challenges with two stubborn fasteners that prevented access to the sample.
The sample, which includes dust and rocks up to about 0.4 inch in size, was photographed in high resolution, revealing extreme detail.
The curation team at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston had already collected 2.48 ounces (70.3 grams) of asteroid material from the sample hardware before the lid was removed, surpassing the agency’s goal of bringing at least 2.12 ounces (60 grams) to Earth.
The next steps for the curation team will be to remove the round metal collar and prepare the glovebox to transfer the remaining sample into pie-wedge sample trays, which will then be photographed, weighed, packaged, and stored at Johnson Space Center.
The final mass of the sample will be determined in the coming weeks, and a catalog of all the Bennu samples will be released later this year, allowing scientists and institutions around the world to submit requests for research or display.