description OSIRIS-REx Overview
The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft undertook a NASA mission to study the asteroid Bennu. Launched in 2016, it successfully collected a sample from the near-Earth object and returned it to Earth in 2023. This represents the first U.S. mission to acquire an extraterrestrial material sample.
Scientists utilize this sample for research into planetary formation, asteroid composition, and potential hazards posed by asteroids approaching our solar system. The data is valuable for astronomers, geologists, and planetary scientists.
help OSIRIS-REx FAQ
How did OSIRIS-REx collect material from Bennu?
The spacecraft briefly touched Bennu with its TAGSAM sampling head and released nitrogen gas to stir surface material into a collector. The maneuver occurred in October 2020 at a site named Nightingale.
When did the Bennu sample return to Earth?
The sample capsule landed in the Utah Test and Training Range on 24 September 2023. NASA later reported that the mission returned substantially more than its minimum sample requirement.
Why did NASA choose asteroid Bennu?
Bennu is a carbon-rich near-Earth asteroid whose primitive material can preserve clues about the early solar system. It is also an object whose orbit can be studied to improve understanding of forces affecting potentially hazardous asteroids.
What happened to the spacecraft after it delivered the sample?
The main spacecraft continued operating under the new mission name OSIRIS-APEX. Its next major target is asteroid Apophis, which will make a close approach to Earth in 2029.
explore Explore More
Similar to OSIRIS-REx
See all arrow_forward
Reviews & Comments
Write a Review
Be the first to review
Share your thoughts with the community and help others make better decisions.
