Evaluating possible spectroscopic variation of Bennu's sampling site

A. Praet (1) , G. Poggiali (1) , M. A. Barucci (1) , B. E. Clark , X. -D. Zou , A. A. Simon , H. H. Kaplan , J. -Y. Li , C. Alcaria (1)

1 LESIA - Laboratoire d'études spatiales et d'instrumentation en astrophysique = Laboratory of Space Studies and Instrumentation in Astrophysics

The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft completed the first part of the primary objective by successfully sampling the surface of asteroid (101955) Bennu and storing the acquired sample in the re-entry capsule. The sampling 'Touch-And-Go' (TAG) maneuver was performed nominally at the primary sampling site, Nightingale, in Bennu's Northern hemisphere. As a consequence of the TAG, material at the sampling site was mobilized and the morphology of the area was altered. This event offered a unique opportunity to investigate in detail the subsurface of asteroid Bennu giving access to fine grained and less altered material from Nightingale crater.

Keywords: Bennu; OSIRIS-REx; hydration content; sample return; infrared spectroscopy

Domains: Sciences of the Universe [physics]

A. Praet, G. Poggiali, M. A. Barucci, B. E. Clark, X. -D. Zou, et al.. Evaluating possible spectroscopic variation of Bennu's sampling site. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2022, ⟨10.1093/mnras/stac2969⟩. ⟨insu-03874878⟩