NASA

An artist rendering of OSIRIS-REx contacting the asteroid Bennu with the Touch-And-Go Sample Arm Mechanism.

The University of Arizona-led OSIRIS-REx mission was almost a victim of its own success when part of its sample from the asteroid Bennu wedged its container open, spilling some of its contents into space. Now, it's safely stowed away.

Following a successful touch-and-go in which the spacecraft picked up enough dust and rock to fill a flour bag, the mission team scrambled to secure the payload quickly to avoid further leakage.

Team leader Dante Lauretta said the leak's salt-shaker-like effect actually offered a chance to study particle ejection like they had witnessed on Bennu.

"So even though my heart breaks for loss of sample, it turned out to be a pretty cool science experiment," Lauretta said. 

The sample is due to return to Earth in September 2023.