NASA Hase Opened the Lid

NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission, which aimed to collect a sample from the asteroid Bennu, involved an open lid operation. This operation was a significant part of the mission's Touch-and-Go (TAG) maneuver. The spacecraft approached the asteroid and used its robotic arm to make contact with the surface briefly to collect a sample of regolith (loose surface material). The sample collection process involved opening a sample collection chamber in the TAGSAM (Touch-And-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism) at the end of the robotic arm.

The spacecraft's lid or cover was designed to protect the collected sample from contamination and loss during its journey back to Earth. After successfully collecting the sample, the spacecraft closed the lid to secure the collected material and then began its journey back to Earth. This operation was a crucial step in the mission's goal to bring a pristine asteroid sample back to Earth for scientific study.

In October 2020, OSIRIS-REx successfully collected a sample from Bennu, and the spacecraft is scheduled to return to Earth with the sample in September 2023. The mission aims to provide valuable insights into the composition and history of asteroids, which can contribute to our understanding of the early solar system and the potential threats posed by near-Earth asteroids