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NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Non-Targeted Direct Infusion Soluble Organic Analysis on a Tarda Meteorite Extract

The differences in chemistry, mineralogy, and structure of chondrites demonstrate thevariations in time/space of their forming regions in the solar nebula. In contrast, the variationof the organic reserves in the solar nebula is unclear. Furthermore, their subsequent evolutionof organic matter on the parent body is still under debate. In a previous study on Tagish Lake(C2 ungrouped) we showed that the primordial soluble organic matter (SOM) could bedistinguished from the parent body's secondary alteration threw mass distribution. This studywill show the Tarda meteorite SOM primordial distribution, using the model from ourprevious study. We discuss its organic reservoirs and secondary alteration effects. We alsocompare the character of the SOM with previously analysed Orgueil (CI). Sample and method: Tarda (fall, 2020) was classified as a C2 ungroup carbonaceouschondrite. Its bulk three oxygen isotope composition is distinct from other chondrite groupsbut similar to CI-chondrite-like and Yamato-type-like [1] values. We analysed themethanol/toluene extract using the high-resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometer at the Institutede Planétologie et d’Astrophysique Grenoble (IPAG) by directly injecting and ionizing theSOM and the solvent using the Heated Electrospray Ionization (HESI) source. After thespectra acquisition, the in-house developed post-processing data analysis tools, Attributor [2],was used. Preliminary Result: The SOM mass distribution of Tarda was well-fitted by the modelinterpreted as the primordial SOM distribution in Tagish lake. This common distributionpattern implies the presence of a common organic reservoir or SOM formation mechanism.Orgueil’s mass spectrum showed a more complex mass-distribution and seemed to be affectedby secondary processes. In contrast to the mass-distribution, SOM’s elemental abundance wasdistinct. The Tarda extract was enriched in S-bearing organic compounds which was incontrast to the Tagish Lake extract consisting of mostly CHNO elements. The presentationwill also discuss the application of our technique to Ryugu or Bennu samples. [1] Meteoriticalbulletin database [2] Orthous-Daunay, F. R. et al. (2019) Geochemical Journal, 53(1), 21-32

J Isa↗
NASA NTRS2019

Digital terrain mapping by the OSIRIS-REx mission

The Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security–Regolith Explorer mission will return a sample to Earth from asteroid (101955) Bennu. Digital terrain models (DTMs) of the asteroid, and products enabled by them, are key to understanding the origin and evolution of the asteroid, providing geological and geophysical context for the sample, maximizing the amount of sample returned, navigating the spacecraft, and ensuring the safety of the spacecraft during sampling. The mission has two approaches for producing these DTMs: a camera-based approach and a lidar-based approach. We provide an overview of the methods used for these two approaches and how they fit into the originally planned mission. We also discuss a summary of tests using these plans to evaluate the expected performance of the DTMs and describe the data products derived from them.

O. S. Barnouin↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Understanding Space Weathering of Carbonaceous Asteroids through H+ and He+ Ion Irradiation of the Murchison Meteorite

Airless planetary bodies are subject to space weathering processes such as micrometeoroid bombardment and solar wind irradiation. These processes alter the microstructural, chemical, and optical properties of planetary regoliths and, in turn, complicate interpretations of surface composition from remote sensing data and matching of meteorites to their parent bodies. Unlike lunar and ordinary chondrite materials, space weathering studies of primitive carbonaceous chondrites are still evolving [1]. Investigations that examine the spectral, microstructural, and chemical effects of space weathering on carbonaceous materials are critical for maximizing the scientific return of ongoing and future missions to C-complex asteroids, like the NASA OSIRIS-REx (Bennu) and JAXA Hayabusa2 (Ryugu) missions[2,3]. Here, we present results from our experimental simulation of solar wind weathering on organic-rich, C-complex asteroid surfaces in which we irradiated a slab of the Murchison CM2 chondrite with 1 keV/amu H+ and He+ ions.

D. L. Laczniak↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Investigating Space Weathering Effects on Carbonaceous Asteroids Using High-flux and Low-flux Ion Irradiation of the Murchison Meteorite

Airless planetary bodies are continuously altered by space weathering processes such as solar wind irradiation and micrometeoroid bombardment. These processes change the microstructural, chemical, and optical properties of planetary regoliths and, in turn, complicate interpretations of surface composition from remote sensing data. Previous space weathering investigations have focused primarily on lunar and ordinary chondrite materials, the latter of which have been directly linked to S-type asteroids [1]. However, relatively little is known about space weathering of primitive carbonaceous chondrites, which contain a combination of hydrous silicate and organic phases and are hypothesized to be fragments of C-complex asteroids [2]. To address this knowledge gap and maximize the science return of missions targeting C-complex asteroids (e.g., NASA OSIRIS-REx targeting Bennu and JAXA Hayabusa2 targeting Ryugu)[3-4], we examine the spectral, microstructural, and chemical effects of simulated solar wind weathering on a carbonaceous asteroid analog material. Here, we present the results from coordinated analyses of Murchison (CM2) meteorite slabs irradiated with 1 keV/amu H+ and He+ ions.

space weathering↗
NASA NTRS2021

Derivation of the final OSIRIS-REx OVIRS in-flight radiometric calibration

The OSIRIS-REx Visible and InfraRed Spectrometer (OVIRS) operates over the ∼0.4- to 4.3-μm wavelength range. Radiometric calibration over this broad range requires the use of multiple calibration sources. Initial OVIRS in-flight calibration coefficients were previously computed using ground calibration from visible integrating sphere and IR blackbody sources, cross-calibrated with Earth-observing satellites for visible wavelengths, and adjusted using the spectrum of the OSIRIS-REx mission’s target body, asteroid (101955) Bennu. As part of the final in-flight calibration, we determined that the best calibration method removes out-of-band IR signal leakage prior to radiometric calibration and updated the calibration coefficients accordingly. These final calibration coefficients work well for data where the field of view is filled, and we document the possible artifacts in underfilled spots.

Amy A. Simon↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The Nature of Extraterrestrial Amino Acids in Carbonaceous Chondrites and Links to Their Parent Bodies

Meteorites and samples returned from asteroids and comets provide an important record of the physical and chemical processes that occurred in the early solar system and represent some of the oldest solid materials currently available for laboratory analyses. The delivery of organic matter by extraterrestrial material to the early Earth could have been an important source of complex prebiotic organic molecules available for the emergence of life. Analyses of primitive carbonaceous chondrites over the last five decades have revealed a major insoluble organic component [1,2], as well as a complex and highly diverse suite of soluble organic molecules of prebiotic importance [3,4] that includes carboxylic acids, N-heterocycles, sugars, amino acids, amines, and many other organic molecules that have not yet been identified [5]. Amino acids continue to be a primary focus of many soluble organic analyses in carbonaceous chondrites because (1) these molecules are essential components of life (as the monomers of proteins), (2) they have structural diversity (multiple possible isomers) that can be used to help constrain formation mechanisms and parent body conditions, and (3) most amino acids identified in carbonaceous chondrites are chiral, a property that can be used to distinguish between amino acids of extraterrestrial and terrestrial origins. The degree of parent body hydrothermal alteration has been shown to have a major influence on the formation and destruction of amino acids in carbonaceous meteorites as observed in the measured abundances and molecular distributions [6]. Aqueous alteration in primitive asteroids could have also led to the preferential enrichment of some left-handed amino acids over their right-handed forms, an astounding discovery that suggests that the origin of life on Earth or elsewhere was biased toward left-handed amino acid homochirality [7,8]. This talk will give an overview of what is known about the amino acid composition of carbonaceous chondrites, present some key unanswered questions, and discuss how the analysis of samples returned from asteroids Ryugu and Bennu will further advance our understanding of parent body chemistry and potential contributions from carbonaceous asteroids to the origin of life on Earth or elsewhere.

Daniel P. Glavin↗
NASA NTRS2021

OSIRIS-REx Extended Mission Trajectory Design & Target Search

After jettisoning its Sample Return Capsule (SRC) containing regolith samples from the near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu to Earth in September 2023, the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security–Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft will perform a divert maneuver and safely fly by Earth at an altitude of 250 km. SRC return and the divert maneuver officially mark the completion of the spacecraft’s primary mission; however, it will continue on in heliocentric orbit with a nearly fully-functional instrument suite and enough propellant for nearly 600 m/s Delta-V. The post-Earth flyby trajectory fortuitously enables an exciting extended mission opportunity: rendezvous with the near-Earth asteroid (99942)Apophis immediately following its historic Earth close approach in April 2029. In this paper, we detail the discovery, optimization, and analysis of the Apophis rendezvous trajectory for an extended OSIRIS-REx mission. We also present the technical approach for an alternate target search and corresponding results, assessing the alternate trajectories compared to the baseline Apophis rendezvous from a trajectory design standpoint.

Brian Sutter↗
NASA NTRS2021

OSIRIS-REx Orbit Trim Strategy

One of the more challenging aspects of the trajectory design for the OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer) mission at asteroid Bennu was maneuvering while in orbit. The orbital dynamics were highly perturbed by various sources, most notably solar radiation pressure, which degraded accuracy of long term predictions of the spacecraft’s location in orbit. Generally, the Navigation team had to solve three separate issues: correcting a perturbed orbit, changing to a different orbit, or phasing the or bitto place the spacecraft at a specific location at a specific time. The team composed a common framework using up to two maneuvers that could solve all of these problems using an identical schedule that allowed for consistent planning long before the final trajectory could be designed. This orbit trim strategy was successfully used for the first time in the Orbital B phase of the mission to maximize the duration of usable observing geometry in a time-variable orbit with strict operational limits. It was used an additional 3 times throughout the mission to adjust and/or change the orbit, most notably altering the orbit in the weeks prior to the successful Touch-And-Go (TAG)sample collection attempt. This same strategy was used to phase the orbit a total 10 times in preparation for each of the science sorties over potential sample sites, the TAG Rehearsals, and TAG. The trim strategy was demonstrated to be robust and performed exceptionally well in all aspects, which proved critical to a successful sample collection.

Daniel R. Wibben↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

OSIRIS-REx Off-Nominal Re-entry Breakup Analysis

The Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) is a NASA asteroid sampling mission that launched on September 8, 2016. Its objectives are to study the asteroid Bennu for up to 505 days and obtain at least 60 grams of pristine regolith. The sample return to Earth is planned for September 2023. For contingency planning and risk assessment of a potential off-nominal Earth-return trajectory, a re-entry breakup analysis was performed to determine the response of the spacecraft to the environment and predict the breakup sequence and timeline, debris survival, and debris impact conditions. The failure scenario assumed a failure to separate between the bus and the sample return capsule (SRC), resulting in the combined bus+SRC configuration for the re-entry vehicle. Furthermore, consistent overburns or underburns were considered to produce three sets of initial conditions for the analysis consisting of nominal, steep, and shallow entry flight path angles. The results were compared to the breakup analysis performed for a similar vehicle, the Stardust spacecraft, which returned samples from the comet Wild 2 in 2006. This paper describes the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft and presents the results of the re-entry breakup analysis.

reentry breakup analysis↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Extraterrestrial Amino Acids in the C2 Ungrouped Carbonaceous Chondrite Tarda: A Unique Distribution

Introduction: Meteorites provide a record of the chemical processes that occurred in the early solar sys-tem. The delivery of organic matter by carbonaceous chondrites to the early Earth could have been an im-portant source of amino acids and other prebiotic or-ganic molecules required for the emergence of life [1]. To date, 96 amino acids have been named in meteor-ites, most of which are rare or absent in the biosphere [2]. The variability in amino acid concentrations and isomer distributions measured in carbonaceous chon-drites can be explained by differences in parent body chemistry and alteration conditions [3]. In addition, aqueous alteration was likely important in the amplifi-cation of some left-handed amino acids over their right-handed forms (L-excesses up to ~60%) in the Tagish Lake meteorite [3], suggesting that the origin of life on Earth and possibly elsewhere in the solar sys-tem was biased towards L-amino acids. On August 25, 2020, a fireball was witnessed in southern Morocco and the first pieces of the meteorite fall were recovered the following day near the town of Tarda [4]. Thousands of individual fragments were recovered from the strewn field totaling ~4 kg [4]. Based on petrographic observations, bulk mineralogy, and chemical and O-isotopic analyses, Tarda has been classified as a C2 ungrouped carbonaceous chondrite with similarities to Tagish Lake (though more primi-tive), as well as CI, CY, and CR chondrites [4,5]. The fall and rapid recovery of the Tarda stones provide an important opportunity to investigate a C-rich meteorite using the state-of-the-art techniques that will also be used to study the samples returned from asteroids Ryugu and Bennu by the Hayabusa2 and OSIRIS-REx missions, respectively. Here, we report the first amino acid analyses of the Tarda meteorite. The total concentrations, enantio-meric ratios and relative distributions of amino acids were determined using ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography with UV fluorescence and time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-FD/ToF-MS) at NASA GSFC. This analytical technique was employed on extracts from two different pre-rain Tarda meteorite fragments and a sample of sand collected from the Tarda fall site for the purpose of assessing potential terrestrial contamination. Bulk H, C, and N elemental and isotopic analyses were also conducted at the Car-negie Institution for Science (CIS) to assist with petro-logic type classification using elemental analysis iso-tope ratio mass spectrometry (EA-IRMS).

D P Glavin↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Cross-Calibration of GNC and OLA LIDAR Systems Onboard OSIRIS-REx

The Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security–Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission carried two distinct light detection and ranging (LIDAR) systems: A scanning LIDAR called OSIRIS-REx Laser Altimeter (OLA) as part of the science payload, and a flash LIDAR system has part of the Guidance, Navigation, & Control (GNC) subsystem to serve as a navigation sensor during TAG. This presents a unique opportunity to compare the performance of the two LIDAR systems in close proximity to a small asteroid body. During the Orbital B mission phase, between June to August 2019, the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft orbited Bennu in a near-circular terminator orbit during which the altitude above the surface varied between 645 m to 740 m. Over five-week period observations were recorded with the OLA instrument that were subsequently used to construct a global digital terrain map (DTM) with a resolution of 5 cm and accuracy of ±20 cm. This model provides an excellent reference for assessing the performance of the GNC LIDAR system. Two different GNC LIDAR checkout activities were also conducted during the Orbital B phase: A limb-crossing check-out featured a series of slews to collect GNC LIDAR data across varying ranges and phase angles and operate the automatic gain control modes of the device; An OLA-GNC LIDAR cross calibration was designed to collect data from both the OLA and GNC LIDAR devices with overlapping footprints while the spacecraft was pointed nadir. This paper compares the on-orbit performance observed during the cross-calibration activity. The OLA-based global DTM and point clouds are used to evaluate the GNC LIDAR not available during previous analysis. The GNC LIDAR measurements were found to be well within accuracy and precision specified for the instrument, but much noisier than the measurements from OLA within this operating regime.

Jason M Leonard↗
NASA NTRS2020

Osiris-Rex Shape Model Performance During the Navigation Campaign

The Navigation Campaign of the OSIRIS-REx mission began when the first image of Bennu was recorded by the PolyCam high-resolution imager on Au-gust 17, 2018. In the ensuing months, two teams began building shape models based on imagery taken during the Approach and Preliminary survey phases to be used for the transition to landmark navigation in the Orbital A phase. The orbit determination team began analyzing and characterizing the performance and errors associated with each shape model delivery working closely to iterate on the next shape model delivery. By the end of Orbital A, shape models produced by the Altimetry Working Group and JPL exceeded pre-launch performance re-quirements. This paper provides a summary of the analysis performed during operations.

Leonard, Jason M.↗
NASA NTRS2022

Non-Protein Amino Acids Identified in Carbon-Rich Hayabusa Particles

Amino acid abundances in acid-hydrolyzed hot water extracts of gold foils containing five Category 3 (carbon-rich) Hayabusa particles were studied using liquid chromatography with tandem fluorescence and accurate mass detection. Initial particle analyses using field emission scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry indicated that the particles were composed mainly of carbon. Prior to amino acid analysis, infrared and Raman microspectroscopy showed some grains possessed primitive organic carbon. Although trace terrestrial contamination, namely L-protein amino acids, was observed in all Hayabusa extracts, several terrestrially uncommon non-protein amino acids were also identified. Some Hayabusa particles contained racemic (D≈L) mixtures of the non-protein amino acids β-aminoisobutyric acid (β-AIB) and β-amino-n-butyric acid (β-ABA) at low abundances ranging from 0.09 to 0.31 nmol g −1 . Larger abundances of the non-protein amino acid β-alanine (9.2 nmol g −1 , ≈4.5 times greater than background levels) were measured in an extract of three Hayabusa particles. This β-alanine abundance was ≈6 times higher than that measured in an extract of a CM2 Murchison grain processed in parallel. The comparatively high β-alanine abundance is surprising as asteroid Itokawa is similar to amino acid-poor LL ordinary chondrites. Elevated β-alanine abundances and racemic β-AIB and β-ABA in Hayabusa grains suggested these compounds have non-biological and plausibly non-terrestrial origins. These results are the first evidence of plausibly extraterrestrial amino acids in asteroid material from a sample-return mission and demonstrate the capabilities of the analytical protocols used to study asteroid Ryugu and Bennu samples returned by the JAXA Hayabusa2 and NASA OSIRIS-REx missions, respectively.

Eric T. Parker↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Orbital Drag Near Small Bodies Due to Lofted Fines from Surface Activity

Small bodies have been shown to be more granular and dusty than previously expected. Furthermore, as a result of landings, mining, or natural impacts, bodies with negligible atmospheres, such as moons and asteroids, may experience an exospheric environment abundant in lofted fines. Significant quantities of these may interfere with the nominal trajectories of spacecraft in low orbits. This work investigates the threshold of activity that would induce concerns to a spacecraft's nominal mission around various bodies including the Moon, Bennu, Comet Wild-2, and Phobos. Coupled motion of spacecraft navigation and control is expressed in SE(3).

Fines↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Nomenclature for the OSIRIS-REx Returned Sample Collection to be Curated at NASA Johnson Space Center

The Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security–Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) space-craft collected material from the asteroid Bennu on October 20, 2020. The OSIRIS-REx Sample Return Capsule (SRC) is planned to return to Earth on September 24, 2023. The OSIRIS-REx returned sample collection to be curated at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) will include both the asteroid material and the flight hardware. We expect most of the asteroid material to be inside the head of the Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM), and that this material will include a broad range of particles sizes from as large as a few centimeters to less than a micrometer across in their longest dimension. In addition, asteroid material may have been returned along with the flight hardware: intentionally by the contact pads or screens on the witness plates, or serendipitously wedged into or adhering to hardware items. The nomenclature for this new astromaterials collection must accommodate the different types of samples it comprises.

asteroid↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Unraveling Solar Wind Space Weathering of Carbon-Rich Asterods: Low-Flux VS. High-Flux Ion Irradiation of Murchison

Introduction: Space weathering processesalter the microstructural, compositional, and optical properties of airless planetary surfaces.Solar wind space weatheringforms ion-damaged rims within the outermost ~100 nm of regolith grains through atomic-displacements and implantation of energetic H+and He+ions[1]. Transmission electron microscope(TEM)studies of space weathered Itokawa and lunar olivine particles reveal predominantly nanocrystalline solar wind-damaged rims with only minor regions of amorphization[2-5]. This finding differs from laboratoryion irradiation experiments in which samples become amorphous at fluences 2-3 orders of magnitude lower than the independentlyconstrained fluences for still-crystalline natural samples [6-7].Ion flux is generally considered to have a secondaryeffectcompared to fluence in these irradiation experiments. However, solar wind irradiation of natural samples occurs at a flux that is ~4-5 orders of magnitude lower than whatisused inlaboratory simulations (e.g., [6,8-9]). Constraining how the very low ion flux of solar wind influences the microstructural, chemical, and spectral alteration of silicate minerals will improve our understanding of solar wind space weathering and aid in the analysis of returned samples from the Hayabusa2 and OSIRIS-REx missions. Here we report results from low-and high-flux ion irradiation experiments on the Murchison (CM2)meteoritewithcomparable total fluences. Methods: We performed low-flux and high-flux He+(4 keV) and H+(1 keV) irradiation experiments on separate, dry-cut Murchison slabs. Low-flux He+irradiation reached a total fluence of 2.1 x 1016ions/cm2(~400 years of exposure at Bennu) using a flux of 3.6 x 1011ions/cm2/s; low-flux H+irradiation reached a total fluence of 3.9 x 1016ions/cm2(~30 years) using a flux of 6.6 x 1011ions/cm2/s. High-flux He+irradiation reached a total fluence of 2.0 x 1016ions/cm2(~400 years)using a flux of 9.1 x 1012ions/cm2/s; high-flux H+irradiation reached a total fluence of 5.8 x 1016ions/cm2(~50 years)using flux of 8.4 x 1012ions/cm2/s. By irradiating to similar total fluences in both the low-flux and high-flux experiments, we can better isolate and evaluatethe effects of ion flux. Differences between unirradiatedand irradiated surfaces are determined using threeanalytical techniques:(1) in situX-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS) reveals changes in surface chemistry,(2) visible to near-infrared spectroscopy (VNIR; 0.35-2.5 μm) highlights changes in spectraltrends, such as albedo and slope, and (3) TEM and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) identifieschanges in nanoscale structure and elemental composition within olivine and matrix electron-transparent thin sections prepared using focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM). Results and Discussion: XPS analyses of the low-fluxand high-fluxHe+-and H+-irradiated samples showa minorreduction in surface carbon contentand chemicalreduction ofFe3+to Fe2+. The latter result is consistent with the higher Fe2+/Fe3+ratios observed in phyllosilicate-rich space weathered rims of Ryugu grains [10].VNIR analyses suggest that the low-flux H+-irradiated spectrum has a slightly bluer slope (over 0.65-2.5 μm) compared to the unirradiated VNIR spectrum from [9] while the low-flux He+-irradiated spectral slope is comparable to the unirradiated surface. Both the high-flux He+-and H+-irradiated VNIR spectra exhibitslightlyhigheralbedos at shorter wavelengths relativeto their unirradiated counterparts, with He+irradiation yielding a greater change. Thus far, the low-flux He+-irradiated matrix and olivine FIBsections as well as the low-flux H+-irradiated olivine FIBsection have been examined with TEM. The surfaces of all three samplesshowless vesiculation than high-flux/high-fluenceirradiated matrix and olivine samples from [9]. The depth of phyllosilicate amorphization in thelow-fluxHe+-irradiated matrix FIBsection varieslaterally, with crystalline domains occurring as shallow as ~25 nm in some regions. Thelow-flux He+-irradiated olivine FIBsection has acontinuous,~40-90 nm thick ion-affected layer with polycrystalline and amorphous microstructures. The low-flux H+-irradiated olivine sampleexhibits a distinct, ~10-40 nm ion-affected layer whose uppermost ~20 nmin thicker regions is predominantly amorphous.Continuing to compare results from this work to those from [9] will provide a comprehensive understanding of how ion flux impacts the microstructural, chemical, and optical modification of various mineral phases and, in turn,help identify space weathering features from parent body alteration in Hayabusa2 and OSIRIS-REx returned samples.

D L Laczniak↗
NASA NTRS2020

Prokaryotic and Fungal Characterization of the Facilities Used to Assemble, Test, and Launch the OSIRIS-REx Spacecraft

To characterize the ATLO (Assembly, Test, and Launch Operations) environment of the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, we analyzed 17 aluminum witness foils and two blanks for bacterial, archaeal, fungal, and arthropod DNA. Under NASA’s Planetary Protection guidelines, OSIRIS-REx is a Category II outbound, Category V unrestricted sample return mission. As a result, it has no bioburden restrictions. However, the mission does have strict organic contamination requirements to achieve its primary objective of returning pristine carbonaceous asteroid regolith to Earth. Its target, near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu, is likely to contain organic compounds that are biologically available. Therefore, it is useful to understand what organisms were present during ATLO as part of the larger contamination knowledge effort—even though it is unlikely that any of the organisms will survive the multi-year deep space journey. Even though these samples of opportunity were not collected or preserved for DNA analysis, we successfully amplified bacterial and archaeal DNA (16S rRNA gene) from 16 of the 17 witness foils containing as few as 7 ± 3 cells per sample. Fungal DNA (ITS1) was detected in 12 of the 17 witness foils. Despite observing arthropods in some of the ATLO facilities, arthropod DNA (COI gene) was not detected. We observed 1,009 bacterial and archaeal sOTUs (sub-operational taxonomic units, 100% unique) and 167 fungal sOTUs across all of our samples (25–84 sOTUs per sample). The most abundant bacterial sOTU belonged to the genus Bacillus. This sOTU was present in blanks and may represent contamination during sample handling or storage. The sample collected from inside the fairing just prior to launch contained several unique bacterial and fungal sOTUs that describe previously uncharacterized potential for contamination during the final phase of ATLO. Additionally, fungal richness (number of sOTUs) negatively correlates with the number of carbon-bearing particles detected on samples. The total number of fungal sequences positively correlates with total amino acid concentration. These results demonstrate that it is possible to use samples of opportunity to characterize the microbiology of low-biomass environments while also revealing the limitations imposed by sample collection and preservation methods not specifically designed with biology in mind.

Aaron B. Regberg↗