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OSIRIS-REx curation team members at NASA’s Johnson Space Center begin the process of removing and flipping the TAGSAM (Touch-and-Go Sample Mechanism) from the avionics deck of the mission's science canister.

NASA is locked out of its OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample because of 2 faulty fasteners

By Monisha Ravisetti published

NASA is struggling to open a capsule containing precious asteroid samples from the OSIRIS-REx mission. Luckily, there is plenty of material to study on the outside of the container.

Asteroids
Illustration of a rocky asteroid belt with a bright sun in the distance

Nearby asteroid may contain elements 'beyond the periodic table', new study suggests

By Sharmila Kuthunur published

Naturally occurring superheavy elements beyond those listed in the periodic table could potentially explain why asteroid 33 Polyhymnia is so dense, new research suggests.

Asteroids
NASA's DART at the Didymos System.

Asteroid that collided with NASA spacecraft is behaving unexpectedly, high school class discovers

By Brandon Specktor published

Asteroid Dimorphos, which NASA intentionally hit with a rocket during its DART mission in September 2022, is behaving in unpredicted ways.

Asteroids
OSIRIS-REx launches from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 411 rocket.

What is OSIRIS-REx? Everything you need to know about the 1st NASA spacecraft to land on an asteroid

By Ben Turner published

OSIRIS-REx is due to make its return to Earth on Sept. 24. Here's everything you need to know about the mission and what it may reveal about the beginning — and the potential end — of life on Earth.

Asteroids
The red dirt of the Australian outback seen from above, with scattered scrubs casting long shadows

The largest asteroid impact crater on Earth is lurking beneath Australia, new evidence suggests

By Andrew Glikson published

Geophysical evidence suggests there is a massive, magnetized structure deep beneath Australia. Experts think it could be the remnants of the largest meteor crater on Earth.

Asteroids
This artist concept catastrophic collisions between asteroids located in the belt between Mars and Jupiter and how they have formed families of objects on similar orbits around the sun.

How many 'city killer' asteroids narrowly miss Earth each year?

By Steven Tingay published

Last year Earth had more than 100 close encounters with large asteroids. What are the odds of a direct hit in the near future?

Asteroids
Blurry white asteroids appear in telescope images of the night sky

'Potentially hazardous' 600-foot asteroid detected near Earth after a year of hiding in plain sight

By Brandon Specktor published

A skyscraper-size asteroid was revealed in year-old telescope data thanks to a new algorithm that could rock the way near-Earth objects are discovered.

Asteroids
Asteroid exploding in space into lots of little pieces.

How long can an asteroid 'survive'?

By Joanna Thompson published

Asteroids are left over from the early solar system. Here's how they get destroyed.

Asteroids
A Hubble telescope image of a bright blue asteroid, trailed by a long blue tail to the right. Small blue dots show boulders blasted away by NASA's DART mission.

'Swarm of boulders' in space shows the gory aftermath of NASA's asteroid-smashing DART mission

By Ben Turner published

The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) has left a vast field of rubble strewn around asteroid Dimorphos, Hubble images show.

Asteroids
An asteroid flying past earth

A skyscraper-size asteroid flew closer to Earth than the moon — and scientists didn't notice until 2 days later

By Brandon Specktor published

A stealthy asteroid the size of a 20-story building hid in the sun's glare before zooming uncomfortably close to Earth on July 13. Scientists didn't notice until July 15.

Asteroids
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