University of Winnipeg

Published purpose

The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft successfully collected a sample of asteroid Bennu in October 2021 and is on its return journey to Earth to deliver the sample in September 2023. To enable the full science value of this precious sample to be realized we will conduct a number of activities over the next three years. These include: • Laboratory spectral analysis of meteorites that may be relevant to Bennu, specifically heated carbonaceous chondrites (to understand how primitive Bennu may be and associated implications for prebiotic chemistry on Earth) • Examine data for the sampling site before and after sampling to understand Bennu’s internal structure and any “space weathering” effects • Develop procedures to analyze the returned sample on a grain-by-grain basis (to maximize science return for the sample) • Conduct the preliminary spectroscopic analysis of the returned sample to understand how varied it may be and to inform sample curation, analysis, and allocation to the scientific community.