NASA Science Live: Ask Your Questions About OSIRIS-REX Asteroid Sample Deli...

NASA Science Live: Ask Your Questions About OSIRIS-REX Asteroid Sample Deli...
Certainly! The OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer) mission is a NASA spacecraft designed to study and collect a sample from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu. Here's a brief description of the mission:

OSIRIS-REx was launched on September 8, 2016, and it arrived at Bennu in December 2018. The spacecraft spent over two years studying Bennu's surface, composition, and orbit before making its historic sample collection attempt.

On October 20, 2020, OSIRIS-REx successfully collected a sample of regolith (loose asteroid material) from Bennu's surface using its TAGSAM (Touch-And-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism) device. The sample collection was a delicate maneuver that involved briefly touching the asteroid's surface and capturing material.

The collected sample, which is expected to be at least 60 grams, will provide valuable insights into the early solar system and the composition of asteroids. Scientists hope to learn more about the origins of our solar system and the potential resources that asteroids like Bennu may offer in the future.

OSIRIS-REx is currently on its way back to Earth, with the sample return capsule expected to land in Utah, USA, on September 24, 2023. Scientists are eagerly awaiting the return of these precious asteroid samples, which will be studied by researchers worldwide.

If you have any specific questions about OSIRIS-REx or its mission, feel free to ask, and I'll provide more information.