Unexpected Discovery of Phosphate in NASA’s ‘OSIRIS-REx Asteroid’ Sample

Asteroid (Representative Image - Canva)

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft has successfully returned a sample from the asteroid Bennu to Earth. This sample, enclosed in a capsule, contains untouched carbon-rich material.

The spacecraft embarked on a seven-year journey through the solar system to collect these samples. The sample weighs approximately 120 grams and will be analyzed to understand Bennu’s molecular structure.

Initial analysis has uncovered essential organic components like carbon and nitrogen in the sample. The primary component, magnesium-sodium phosphate, suggests that Bennu might have originated from an ancient, small, primitive ocean world.

The most fascinating find was the presence of water-soluble phosphates. These compounds are crucial for all known life on Earth today.

The analysis of the Bennu sample was published on June 26 in Meteoritics & Planetary Science. The findings also indicate that the organic elements present are the building blocks of our solar system.

Dante Lauretta, co-lead author of the paper and principal investigator for OSIRIS-REx at the University of Arizona, Tucson, commented on the discovery. He stated, “The presence and state of phosphates, along with other elements and compounds on Bennu, suggest a watery past for the asteroid.” He added, “Bennu potentially could have once been part of a wetter world. However, this hypothesis requires further investigation.”

Bennu has a history with water, but its chemical composition remains primitive and similar to the Sun in elemental makeup.

“The sample we returned is the largest reservoir of unaltered asteroid material on Earth right now,” said Lauretta.

This composition provides insights into the history of our solar system, dating back 4.5 billion years. These rocks have remained in their original state, neither melting nor resolidifying since their formation, confirming their ancient origins.

Bennu’s phosphate, studied in NASA laboratories, revealed its journey from an ancient oceanic world to our planet.