S8 Ep149: 3/4. Encountering Bennu: Unexpected Terrain and Science — Dante Lauretta — Asteroid Bennu presented surprising geological characteristics, displaying unexpectedly rocky, boulder-strewn terra

3/4. Encountering Bennu: Unexpected Terrain and Science — Dante Lauretta — Asteroid Bennu presented surprising geological characteristics, displaying unexpectedly rocky, boulder-strewn terrain rather than the predicted smooth, "beach-like" surface indicated by telescopic observations. Bennu, a dark, compositionally active object, contained abundant carbon, complex organic molecules, and water locked within clay mineral matrices. Lauretta's team developed innovative "bullseye tag" guidance technology to navigate the treacherous and hazardous terrain, successfully executing sample collection using the TAGSAM (Touch And Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism), which yielded an unexpectedly substantial sample mass. 1958