NASA spacecraft carrying sample asteroid material preps for Earthbound journey
If successful, it ll be the largest amount of extraterrestrial material brought back from space since the Apollo era on January 27, 2021, 10:07
Why it matters: NASA’s Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft will depart the friendly vicinity of asteroid Bennu later this year after successfully collecting a sample that’ll eventually be studied here on Earth. The seven-year-long mission will help scientists learn more about the creation of the solar system and perhaps how life started on Earth.
NASA launched the craft in 2016, sending it in the direction of Bennu, an asteroid that is located more than 200 million miles from our home planet. The planned rendezvous went off without a hitch last October as the instrument was able to successfully collect a sample of regolith particles and stow them away for the r
NASA OSIRIS-REx mission aims to depart Bennu in May
Shane McGlaun - Jan 27, 2021, 8:11am CST
NASA has announced that its OSIRIS-REx mission is scheduled to depart from asteroid Bennu and head back to earth on May 10. OSIRIS-REx, which stands for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer, completed its sample collection mission on October 20, 2020. The spacecraft likely exceeded its requirement to collect two ounces of asteroid material.
NASA expects OSIRIS-REx to deliver its samples to earth on September 24, 2023. OSIRIS-REx project manager Michael Moreau says that leaving the asteroid’s vicinity in May puts the spacecraft in the “sweet spot” when the departure maneuver will consume the least amount of fuel possible. OSIRIS-REx will require over 593 miles per hour of velocity change, marking the spacecraft’s largest propulsive maneuver since approaching Bennu in October 2018.
osiris-rex departure.png
This illustration shows the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft departing asteroid Bennu to begin its two-year journey back to Earth.
Credits: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona
On May 10, NASAs Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft will say farewell to asteroid Bennu and begin its journey back to Earth. During its Oct. 20, 2020, sample collection event, the spacecraft collected a substantial amount of material from Bennus surface, likely exceeding the missions requirement of 2 ounces (60 grams). The spacecraft is scheduled to deliver the sample to Earth on Sep. 24, 2023.
Leaving Bennus vicinity in May puts us in the sweet spot, when the departure maneuver will consume the least amount of the spacecrafts onboard fuel, said Michael Moreau, OSIRIS-REx deputy project manager at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Nevertheless, with over 593 miles per hour (265 meters per second)
Green Jr carries E Kentucky past UT Martin 113-73 yahoo.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from yahoo.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.