Surviving Bennu's Surprise: NASA's Close Call with OSIRIS-REx

NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft encountered unexpected challenges when it arrived at asteroid Bennu, which looked and behaved differently than scientists had anticipated. The spacecraft's cameras revealed a "bouldery hellscape" instead of the smooth plains they had envisioned for sample collection. With the help of legendary guitarist Brian May, who provided expertise in stereoscopic imaging, the team identified a suitable landing site in a smaller-than-planned crater. During the sample collection, the spacecraft sank unexpectedly into the asteroid's surface, which behaved like a swamp. Despite these challenges, OSIRIS-REx collected more material than expected and will return it to Earth on September 24. Scientists are eager to analyze the samples and learn more about Bennu's surprising characteristics.