Asteroid ‘dust, debris’ likely found as returned NASA space capsule opened

NASA Astromaterials and University of Arizona staff stand near the capsule from NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission, which landed at the US Department of Defense's Utah Test and Training Range, on September 24, 2023 [NASA/Getty Images via AFP]

Scientists at the United States space agency NASA found “black dust and debris” when they opened the space capsule that recently returned to Earth with the largest asteroid sample ever brought back from space.

NASA said on Tuesday that researchers discovered “dust and debris on the avionics deck of the Osiris-REx science canister when the initial lid was removed today”.