NASA's OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Mission Launch
NASA launched the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft to explore asteroid 101955 Bennu. The mission aims to collect samples from the asteroid, helping to understand the early solar system's formation. OSIRIS-REx will rendezvous with Bennu and return the samples to Earth in 2023. This ambitious project demonstrates NASA's commitment to advancing space exploration and planetary science.
OSIRIS-REx aims to collect samples from Bennu.
The mission seeks to unveil the solar system's history.
Samples are expected to return to Earth in 2023.
Launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
What Happened?
NASA's OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer) mission was launched to study the near-Earth asteroid 101955 Bennu. The spacecraft was designed to travel over two billion miles to collect material from Bennu's surface before returning the samples to Earth in 2023. This mission represents a significant leap in our understanding of asteroids, which are considered remnants of the solar system's formation over four billion years ago. By studying the samples from Bennu, scientists hope to gain insights into the fundamental processes that shaped the planets as well as the ingredients for life that may have existed in the early solar system.
The launch took place aboard an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. OSIRIS-REx is equipped with advanced instruments to analyze Bennu's surface and its texture, composition, and mineralogy. After a two-year cruise, the spacecraft will begin a detailed survey of the asteroid's characteristics and then proceed to collect samples using a device called TAGSAM (Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism). Following this, OSIRIS-REx will return to Earth, providing astronomers and planetary scientists with valuable data to further explore our cosmic origins.
Why Does it Matter?
The OSIRIS-REx mission is significant for furthering our knowledge of asteroid composition and helping scientists understand the early solar system's history. It marks a milestone in sample return missions, sharing knowledge gained from returned samples similar to previous missions like the Apollo lunar samples. The findings from Bennu could also offer insights into the origins of water and organic materials on Earth, foundational elements that are vital for life.