Our First Asteroid Sample Return Mission is Back on Earth on This Week @NASA – September 29, 2023

That's exciting news! NASA's first asteroid sample return mission, known as OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer), successfully returned to Earth with its precious cargo on September 29, 2023. OSIRIS-REx was tasked with collecting a sample from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu and bringing it back to Earth for study. This mission has provided scientists with valuable insights into the early solar system and the origins of life on Earth. The sample brought back by OSIRIS-REx will be analyzed by researchers around the world, and it is expected to yield important data about the composition of asteroids and their potential impact on our planet. This achievement marks a significant milestone in the field of space exploration and planetary science.