TAGSAM explained

TAGSAM or Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism is a robotic arm on the OSIRIS-REx space probe designed and used for collecting a sample from asteroid 101955 Bennu.[1] OSIRIS-REx was launched in 2016. It arrived at asteroid Bennu in August 2018, and began scientific studies. It collected a sample of the material making up the surface of Bennu in 2020 and returned it to Earth in 2023.[1] [2] [3]

Overview

TAGSAM is a robotic arm attached to the main body of the spacecraft that collects a sample from the asteroid, and puts the samples into the Earth return vehicle.[4] Bennu is about 500 meters in diameter and has very low gravity, so the arm must perform the collection in near zero gravity, yet still contend with some gravitational forces from the asteroid.[5] One issue with small asteroids is their unique gravitational environment, and Bennu became the smallest body orbited by a spacecraft.[2]

TAGSAM was designed to take up to three samples from the asteroid, although in the event the first sample was so large no other samples were attempted.[2] [6] The collection head was filled using a nitrogen gas injection that stired up the regolith.[4] The arm is about 11abbr=offNaNabbr=off long, with three joints for articulation.[4] SamCam acquires images of the collection head.[4] Two major parts of TAGSAM are the robotic arm and the sample collection head.[7]

The arm was used in conjunction with several instruments on the spacecraft including three cameras, three spectrometers, and a laser altimeter.[8]

Two identical TAGSAM units were made, one for use on the spacecraft called the flight unit, and another for testing on Earth called the qualification unit.[7]

Timeline

See also

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: OSIRIS-REx Finds Water On Asteroid Bennu - Astrobiology. astrobiology.com. 10 December 2018 . 2018-12-15.
  2. Web site: Who needs the Guardians of the Galaxy when we have OSIRIS-REx?. 2018-12-10. SpaceFlight Insider. en-US. 2018-12-15.
  3. Web site: NASA's OSIRIS-REx Spacecraft Successfully Touches Asteroid. 2020-10-21. OSIRIS-REx Mission. en-US.
  4. Web site: OSIRIS-REx is Prepared to TAG an Asteroid. Hille. Karl. 2018-11-16. NASA. 2018-12-15.
  5. Team. the OSIRIS-REx. Lauretta. D. S.. Beshore. E.. Dworkin. J. P.. May. A. J.. Wood. J. L.. Linn. T. M.. Kuhns. R. M.. Hund. R. A.. 2018-10-01. The OSIRIS-REx Spacecraft and the Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM). Space Science Reviews. en. 214. 7. 107. 10.1007/s11214-018-0521-6. 2018SSRv..214..107B. 1572-9672. free.
  6. Web site: NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Spacecraft Goes for Early Stow of Asteroid Sample . www.asteroidmission.org . University of Arizona . 5 October 2023.
  7. Web site: Development of the OSIRIS-REx Sampling System: TAGSAM and the SRC. 2015-04-20. dslauretta. en. 2018-12-15. 2023-02-07. https://web.archive.org/web/20230207104906/https://dslauretta.com/2015/04/20/development-of-the-osiris-rex-sampling-system-tagsam-and-the-src/. dead.
  8. Web site: OSIRIS-REx Has Already Found Water on Bennu. Gough. Evan. 2018-12-11. Universe Today. en-US. 2018-12-15.
  9. Web site: NASA's daring asteroid mission unfurls its sampling arm for the first time. 16 November 2018.
  10. Web site: One step closer to touching asteroid Bennu. Morton. Erin. April 16, 2020. Phys.org. April 16, 2020.
  11. Web site: OSIRIS-REx Buzzes Sample Site Nightingale. 14 April 2020. AsteroidMission.org. NASA. 16 April 2020.
  12. Web site: Clark . Stephen . 2023-09-27 . Scientists just opened the lid to NASA’s asteroid sample canister . 2023-09-28 . Ars Technica . en-us.

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