Astromaterials
The mission of Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, or ARES, is to combine scientific and engineering expertise in order to advance human space exploration, to integrate terrestrial and planetary research, and to promote successful space missions by mitigating risk. Our people are the world's leading sample scientists and we curate the most extensive collection of extraterrestrial materials on Earth.
Asteroid Bennu’s Rugged Surface Baffled NASA, We Finally Know Why
In one of the biggest surprises of NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission, its target asteroid, Bennu, turned out to be a jagged,…
Read the Story
Astromaterials Stories
Sugars, ‘Gum,’ Stardust Found in NASA’s Asteroid Bennu Samples
NASA’s Artemis Science Instrument Gets Tested in Moon-Like Sandbox
New NASA Artemis Payloads To Study Moon’s Terrain, Radiation, History
Percolating Clues: NASA Models New Way to Build Planetary Cores
Iceland as an analog: "Team SulpHur"
Scientists hunt for Earth-based analogs to Martian sulfur.
Learn More
Preparing for Artemis: NASA's Geology Training for Lunar Exploration
From the volcanic fields of Arizona to the lunar-like landscape of Iceland, NASA scientists are actively preparing astronauts and mission support teams for conducting science on the Moon. Learn about NASA’s rich history of geology training and hear how scientists and engineers are getting ready to bring back samples that will help us learn about the origins of our solar system.
