Returned sample
Bennu Sample (OSIRIS-REx)
121.6 grams of dust and rock from the carbonaceous near-Earth asteroid 101955 Bennu, returned by OSIRIS-REx in 2023 — the largest asteroid sample yet returned. Early analysis shows abundant carbon and water-bearing clay minerals.
Sample facts
- Source body
- 101955 Bennu
- Returned by
- OSIRIS-REx
- Returned mass
- 121.6 g
- Analysis
- Curated at NASA Johnson Space Center; rich in carbon and hydrated minerals.
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.
- NASA JPLJet Propulsion Laboratory / Solar System Dynamics
Orbital data, ephemerides, and small-body parameters for planets, asteroids, and comets.