Asteroid Treasure: OSIRIS-REx returns with Bennu samples

The samples returned from asteroid Bennu are safely contained within the pattern return capsule following its parachute-assisted landing within the Utah desert. Credit score: NASA

After a seven-year, 3.86-billion-mile odyssey, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission efficiently delivered to Earth samples from asteroid Bennu.

NASA’s first pattern return mission to an asteroid, the company mentioned some 250 grams (about 8.8 ounces) are aboard the OSIRIS-REx return capsule — probably the most returned by a spacecraft from any vacation spot aside from the Moon.

Floor groups examine the capsule and the encompassing atmosphere to there is no such thing as a breach and the realm is protected to strategy. Credit score: NASA

The pattern return capsule, released from the main OSIRIS-REx spacecraft earlier today at about 63,000 miles (101,000 kilometers) away from Earth, reentered the planet’s environment at 10:42 a.m. EDT (14:42 UTC) Sept. 24, going 27,650 miles (44,500 kilometers) simply off the coast of Northern California. Protected by a warmth protect, the capsule made its approach to the Utah Take a look at and Coaching Vary close to Salt Lake Metropolis.

As soon as the capsule’s descent slowed sufficient, a parachute was opened for it to decelerate to a mere 11 miles (18 kilometers) per hour. It opened at about 20,000 toes (6,000 meters), moderately than the anticipated 5,000 toes (1,500 meters). In line with NASA, this was a call made by the autonomous automobile utilizing knowledge it was gathering throughout descent.

As such, touchdown occurred about three minutes earlier than predicted at about 10:52 a.m. EDT (14:52 UTC) within the Utah desert. Notably, current rain softened the bottom a bit, offering an extra cushion for the valuable Bennu samples.

The capsule was retrieved inside about 90 minutes and transported by helicopter to a close-by short-term cleanroom. There, the samples can be ready for transport to NASA’s Johnson Area Heart in Houston on Sept. 25.

From there, the Bennu samples can be saved and distributed to the OSIRIS-REx science crew. In line with NASA, as much as 1 / 4 can be distributed to 233 scientists on the mission crew, representing 38 establishments globally. Some 4% can be given to the Canadian Area Company and 0.5% can be despatched to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Company.

A graphic of the entry profile of the OSIRIS-REx pattern return capsule with samples of Bennu. Credit score: NASA

NASA mentioned the opposite 70% can be preserved at Johnson Area Heart and White Sands, New Mexico, for scientists exterior of the mission crew in addition to for future generations of scientists.

In line with NASA, samples from Bennu might assist scientists perceive how Earth got here to have an abundance of natural molecules and liquid water. The company mentioned Bennu and related asteroids might have helped ship these elements by way of collisions billions of years in the past.

Bennu, discovered in 1999, has a diameter of about 1,600 toes (490 meters). It’s thought of a rubble-pile, that means it’s primarily a bunch of rocks loosely packed and barely held collectively by gravity.

The asteroid can also be thought of a close to Earth object and a probably hazardous object, since its orbit Earth’s. NASA mentioned it has a roughly one in 1,700 probability of hitting Earth someday between 2178 and 2290. Its biggest danger is on Sept. 24, 2182.

An artist’s rendering of OSIRIS-REx descending to Bennu for pattern seize. Credit score: NASA/Goddard/College of Arizona

The OSIRIS-REx mission launched atop an Atlas 5 rocket Sept. 8, 2016, from then Cape Canaveral Air Pressure Station. It arrived at Bennu Dec. 3, 2018, to start orbital surveys.

On Oct. 20, 2020, the spacecraft made its approach to the floor of Bennu. When it reached the floor, the 11-foot (3.3-meter) robotic arm briefly made contact with the asteroid. A burst of nitrogen fuel was launched to blow particles into the sampler head earlier than the entire automobile backed away.

The trajectory of asteroid Apophis throughout its April 13, 2029, shut strategy. Credit score: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Upon inspection within the coming days, it was discovered that the pattern collected was overflowing from the container. The crew was assured that greater than the required 60 grams (2.1 ounces) have been collected. Whereas the precise quantity isn’t but identified, groups have estimated that there must be at the least 250 grams (8.8 ounces) of fabric.

The Bennu samples have been stowed within the return capsule on Oct. 28, 2020, and the spacecraft left the asteroid Could 10, 2021, to start its journey again to Earth.

About 20 minutes after the pattern return capsule was launched from the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, when it was nonetheless 4 hours away from Earth, the principle spacecraft carried out brief thruster firing to permit the automobile safely fly previous Earth to start a brand new mission — OSIRIS-APEX.

OSIRIS-REx is an acronym for “Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Useful resource Identification, Safety, Regolith Explorer.” The brand new mission title replaces “Regolith Explorer” with “Apophis Explorer” — APEX.

Apophis is about 1,210 toes (370 meters) in diameter. The asteroid, additionally a close to Earth and probably hazardous object, is anticipated to make a really shut move of Earth of about 20,000 miles (32,200 kilometers) on Friday, April 13, 2029.

The OSIRIS-APEX spacecraft will enter orbit quickly after the closest strategy and over about 18 months examine how the Earth encounter affected the asteroid’s orbit, spin charge and floor.

Apophis was found in 2004 and made headlines later that yr when early estimates instructed a 2.7% likelihood that it might hit Earth in 2029. Later observations eradicated that risk, in addition to a risk for impression in 2036.

The truth is, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory estimates Apophis has no probability of impacting Earth anytime within the subsequent 100 years.

Video courtesy of NASA

Tagged: Apophis asteroids Bennu Lead Tales NASA OSIRIS-APEX OSIRIS-REx

Derek Richardson

Derek Richardson has a level in mass media, with an emphasis in up to date journalism, from Washburn College in Topeka, Kansas. Whereas at Washburn, he was the managing editor of the scholar run newspaper, the Washburn Evaluate. He additionally has a web site about human spaceflight known as Orbital Velocity. Yow will discover him on twitter @TheSpaceWriter.