OSIRIS-REx Slings Orbital Web Around Asteroid to Capture Sample | 4K

The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, which stands for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer, is a NASA mission designed to study the asteroid Bennu. During its mission, OSIRIS-REx performed a maneuver called the "slingshot" or "orbital web" around Bennu.

In this maneuver, the spacecraft approached Bennu and then fired its thrusters to slightly change its velocity and trajectory. This caused OSIRIS-REx to enter a close orbit around the asteroid, allowing it to map Bennu's surface and study its composition in greater detail. This maneuver was crucial for collecting samples from the asteroid's surface, which OSIRIS-REx successfully accomplished.

The term "slingshot" or "orbital web" is often used to describe the complex orbital path that the spacecraft takes around the asteroid, resembling a web-like pattern. This maneuver allowed OSIRIS-REx to carefully study and sample Bennu while navigating its gravitational field. The collected samples were later returned to Earth for analysis, providing valuable insights into the origins of our solar system.