To Bennu and Back: Journey’s End

Summary

NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission successfully collected over 250 grams of asteroid Bennu's material in October 2020. After orbiting Bennu for nearly two years, the spacecraft embarked on a 1.2 billion-mile journey back to Earth, aiming to return the precious samples in September 2023. The samples will be analyzed at NASA's Johnson Space Center, contributing to our understanding of asteroids. OSIRIS-REx, renamed OSIRIS-APEX, will continue its journey, investigating asteroid Apophis from 2029.

Takeaways

• 🚀 OSIRIS-REx is NASA's first mission to return samples from an asteroid, specifically Bennu.
• 📅 Launched in September 2016, OSIRIS-REx embarked on a journey to explore the asteroid Bennu.
• 🛰️ After arriving at Bennu in 2018, the spacecraft spent two years mapping and studying the asteroid's terrain.
• 🔍 On October 20, 2020, OSIRIS-REx collected about 250 grams of material from a small crater on Bennu.
• 🔒 The sample was securely stored in the sample return capsule, which was closed and prepared for the journey back to Earth.
• 🌍 OSIRIS-REx bid farewell to Bennu in May 2021 and began its return trip, a 1.2 billion mile cruise back to Earth.
• 🗓️ Scheduled to approach Earth on September 24th, OSIRIS-REx will release its sample return capsule at a precise time and angle.
• 🎯 The capsule is aimed at a specific area in Utah's West Desert, with a target size of approximately 250 square miles.
• 🔥 Upon re-entry, the capsule will experience temperatures and speeds that will require it to decelerate rapidly, reaching 32 G’s.
• 🪂 The capsule will deploy a drogue parachute at Mach 1.4 to stabilize its descent before landing.
• 📍 Ground radar will track the capsule to within thirty feet of its landing site in the Utah Test and Training Range.
• 🧪 Once retrieved, the samples will be taken to NASA's Johnson Space Center for curation, distribution, and long-term study.
• 🚀 Renamed OSIRIS-APEX, the spacecraft will continue its journey with a new mission to investigate the asteroid Apophis, starting in 2029.

Q & A

What is the primary mission of NASA's OSIRIS-REx?

OSIRIS-REx is NASA's first asteroid sample return mission, launched to explore and collect samples from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu.

When was OSIRIS-REx launched and what was its destination?

OSIRIS-REx was launched in September 2016, with the near-Earth asteroid Bennu as its destination.

How long did OSIRIS-REx spend orbiting Bennu before collecting samples?

OSIRIS-REx spent nearly two years orbiting Bennu, mapping and studying its terrain before collecting samples.

What significant event occurred on October 20th, 2020, for OSIRIS-REx?

On October 20th, 2020, OSIRIS-REx ventured to a small crater in Bennu's northern hemisphere and collected about 250 grams of material.

What is the total distance OSIRIS-REx will travel back to Earth?

OSIRIS-REx will travel a total of 1.2 billion miles back to Earth.

When is OSIRIS-REx scheduled to release its sample return capsule?

OSIRIS-REx is scheduled to release its sample return capsule on September 24th at 4:42 a.m. Mountain Time.

What is the target area for the sample return capsule on Earth?

The target area for the sample return capsule is an area of roughly 250 square miles in Utah's West Desert.

How will OSIRIS-REx avoid colliding with Earth after releasing the sample capsule?

After releasing the sample capsule, OSIRIS-REx will fire its thrusters to avoid colliding with Earth.

What is the speed of the sample return capsule as it enters Earth's atmosphere?

The sample return capsule will enter Earth's atmosphere at a speed of 27,000 miles per hour.

How will the samples collected by OSIRIS-REx be used after retrieval?

The samples will be taken to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, where they will be curated, distributed, and studied for decades.

What is the future mission for OSIRIS-REx after delivering its cargo?

After delivering its cargo, the renamed OSIRIS-APEX will enter an elliptical orbit of the Sun, investigating Apophis, a 1200-foot stony asteroid, beginning in 2029.