jsc2021e062383

Hayabusa 2 Sample Receipt at the Johnson Space Center, including opening of Pelican cases by JAXA guests, removal of stainless steel containers x29 one by one, inspection, verification of all the sample numbers, conditions, and storage inside the N2 purge cabinet Photo Date: November 30, 2021.  Location: Bldg. 31, H2 Clean Room.  Photographer: Robert Markowitz

Scientists in the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES) Division at NASA’s Johnson Space Center study samples retrieved by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) Hayabusa2 spacecraft and returned to Earth in late 2020. JAXA shared a portion of the samples with NASA, and in exchange, NASA will provide JAXA a percentage of a sample of asteroid Bennu, when the agency’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft returns to Earth from the space rock in 2023. Photo Date: November 30, 2021. Location: Bldg. 31, H2 Clean Room. Photographer: Robert Markowitz

Album 2021_NASA_Pictures_of_the_Year_Submissions