NASA unveils the largest sample from Bennu asteroid

NASA unveiled the initial images of the largest sample collected from asteroid Bennu on Wednesday.
The OSIRIS-REx mission collected rock and dust from Bennu in 2020, with a capsule safely returning to Earth just over two weeks ago and landing in the Utah desert.
The space agency will host a live-streamed press conference at 11:00 am Eastern Time (1500 GMT) to present photographs and preliminary scientific analysis.
NASA's selection of Bennu for sampling was based on its abundance of organic compounds.

Additionally, Bennu's orbit, which crosses paths with Earth's orbit, simplified the roundtrip mission compared to reaching the Asteroid Belt, situated between Mars and Jupiter.
NASA researchers have expressed optimism about finding "bonus particles." These particles, described as black dust and debris, have been observed coating the sample collector.
Back in October 2020, when OSIRIS-REx probe shot nitrogen gas at Bennu to collect its sample, a flap meant to seal it got wedged open with a piece of rock, allowing some of the finer material to flow out of the collector without escaping altogether.

"The very best 'problem' to have is that there is so much material, it's taking longer than we expected to collect it," said deputy OSIRIS-REx curation lead Christopher Snead, in a statement.
"It's really spectacular to have all that material there."
Data gathered by the spacecraft revealed the particles making up its exterior were so loosely packed that if a person were to step onto the surface, they might sink in, much like stepping into a pit of plastic balls.
In addition to scientific insights, better understanding of Bennu's composition could prove useful if humanity ever needs to steer it away.
Although the likelihood of Bennu colliding with Earth is extremely low until the mid-2100s, the odds increase to roughly 1 in 1750 between then and the year 2300, according to NASA.
(With input from agencies)