Apollo 11 launch as broadcast live by NASA on July 16, 1969

The sampling mechanism on NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is stuffed with specimens captured from asteroid Bennu earlier this week — so full that some of the rocks are floating out into space. Officials said Friday they will stow the samples inside the mission’s Earth return capsule sooner than planned to minimize the loss of asteroid material.

The press conference on Tuesday, scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. EDT (1800 UTC), is the first major update from NASA since Administrator Jared Isaacman unveiled the project in late March.

The International Space Station is likely to continue operating for another decade, but without more government support, a privately-owned outpost may not be ready in time to replace it, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said.