Life in space? Bennu asteroid sample contains carbon, water

HOUSTON — The sample of a 4.5 billion-year-old asteroid has evidence of carbon and water, NASA announced today.

Initial studies of the sample from the asteroid Bennu show evidence of high-carbon content and water, which together could indicate the building blocks of life on Earth may be found in the rock, the space agency announced from the Johnson Space Center.

NASA leadership and scientists showed off the asteroid material for the first time since it landed in September. The finding was part of a preliminary assessment of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification and Security – Regolith Explorer) science team. OSIRIS-REx is the third mission in NASA’s New Frontiers Program, managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville.

“The OSIRIS-REx sample is the biggest carbon-rich asteroid sample ever delivered to Earth and will help scientists investigate the origins of life on our own planet for generations to come,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Almost everything we do at NASA seeks to answer questions about who we are and where we come from. NASA missions like OSIRIS-REx will improve our understanding of asteroids that could threaten Earth while giving us a glimpse into what lies beyond.

“The sample has made it back to Earth, but there is still so much science to come – science like we’ve never seen before.”

Although more work is needed to understand the nature of the carbon compounds found, NASA said the initial discovery bodes well for future analyses of the asteroid sample. The secrets held within the rocks and dust from the asteroid will be studied for decades, offering insights into how the solar system was formed, how the precursor materials to life may have been seeded on Earth, and what precautions need to be taken to protect Earth from asteroid collisions.

NASA said the goal of the OSIRIS-REx sample collection was 60 grams of asteroid material. Curation experts at Johnson, working in new clean rooms built especially for the mission, have spent 10 days disassembling the sample return hardware to obtain a glimpse at the bulk sample within.

When the science canister lid was opened, scientists discovered bonus asteroid material covering the outside of the collector head, canister lid, and base. There was so much extra material it slowed down the careful process of collecting and containing the primary sample.

“Our labs were ready for whatever Bennu had in store for us,” said Johnson Center Director Vanessa Wyche. “We’ve had scientists and engineers working side-by-side for years to develop specialized gloveboxes and tools to keep the asteroid material pristine and to curate the samples so researchers now and decades from now can study this precious gift from the cosmos.”

Within the first two weeks, scientists performed “quick-look” analyses of that initial material, collecting images from a scanning electron microscope, infrared measurements, X-ray diffraction, and chemical element analysis. X-ray computed tomography was also used to produce a 3D computer model of one of the particles, highlighting its diverse interior.

This early glimpse provided the evidence of abundant carbon and water in the sample.

“As we peer into the ancient secrets preserved within the dust and rocks of asteroid Bennu, we are unlocking a time capsule that offers us profound insights into the origins of our solar system,” said Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal investigator. “The bounty of carbon-rich material and the abundant presence of water-bearing clay minerals are just the tip of the cosmic iceberg. These discoveries, made possible through years of dedicated collaboration and cutting-edge science, propel us on a journey to understand not only our celestial neighborhood but also the potential for life’s beginnings.

“With each revelation from Bennu, we draw closer to unraveling the mysteries of our cosmic heritage.”