In a remarkable milestone for space exploration, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission team was awarded the prestigious Robert H. Goddard Memorial Trophy on March 22, 2024, recognizing their outstanding contributions to U.S. leadership in astronautics and rocketry. This historic achievement marks the first time a U.S. spacecraft has touched an asteroid and collected a sample, making it a significant milestone in our understanding of these celestial bodies.
Significance of the Bennu Sample
The Bennu sample, which weighs approximately 2.1 ounces (60 grams), offers researchers worldwide valuable insights into the earliest days of our solar system, planet formation, and the origin of organics that led to life on Earth.