OSIRIS-REx returning asteroid samples to Earth in Sept. 2023 - Find out how!.mp4

Mission Objectives: The primary goal of the OSIRIS-REx mission was to study and collect samples from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu. Scientists aimed to better understand the early solar system's formation and the organic molecules that may have played a role in the origins of life on Earth.

Launch and Journey: OSIRIS-REx was launched on September 8, 2016, aboard an Atlas V rocket. It spent over two years traveling through space to reach Bennu.

Asteroid Arrival and Survey: In December 2018, OSIRIS-REx reached Bennu and began an extensive survey of the asteroid. It mapped Bennu's surface, identified potential sample collection sites, and studied its physical and chemical properties.

Sample Collection: The spacecraft used a robotic arm called TAGSAM (Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism) to briefly touch the asteroid's surface. During this touch-and-go maneuver, OSIRIS-REx released a burst of nitrogen gas to stir up and collect regolith (loose surface material) from Bennu. The spacecraft successfully collected over 60 grams of asteroid material.