Title: NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Spacecraft to Return Asteroid Sample, Livestream Coverage Available
Subtitle: Virtual Telescope Project to Share Images of the Historic Sample Return Mission
Date: September 23, 2021
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is set to pass Earth this weekend, marking its return from the potentially hazardous asteroid Bennu with a valuable sample. This historic mission will be the first time NASA has brought material from an asteroid back to Earth. Space enthusiasts may have the opportunity to witness the first part of this groundbreaking event live and for free online, thanks to Italian astrophysicist and astronomer Gianluca Masi and his Virtual Telescope Project.
Masi expressed his excitement about sharing real-time images of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft 12 hours ahead of its release of the precious Sample Return Capsule containing samples of asteroid Bennu. The livestream is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. EDT (2300 GMT) on Saturday, September 23. Interested viewers can tune in on Space.com or the Virtual Telescope Project’s website. However, it is important to note that weather conditions or other factors may affect the ability to observe the OSIRIS-REx probe from the ground.
OSIRIS-REx embarked on its journey in September 2016, launching from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The two-year voyage led the spacecraft to reach the 1,720-foot (524 meters) wide asteroid 101955 Bennu in August 2018. OSIRIS-REx spent an additional two years studying Bennu’s surface before successfully recovering material from its surface.
After storing the Bennu samples in a sample return capsule, OSIRIS-REx initiated its propulsion system in 2021 to start its 1.2 billion-mile (1.9 billion-kilometer) journey back to Earth. Upon arrival this weekend, the spacecraft will jettison its sample return canister and depart Earth’s vicinity, heading towards a different asteroid. The canister is expected to land in the desert region around the U.S. military’s Utah Test and Training Range in the western United States.
The importance of studying asteroids like Bennu lies in their formation approximately 4.5 billion years ago, around the same time as the birth of the solar system. By analyzing asteroid material, scientists can gain insights into the composition and state of matter during the early stages of the solar system. The sample collected from Bennu will undergo cataloging and analysis from late 2023 until 2025 at NASA’s Johnson Space Flight Center in Houston, with at least 75% of the sample preserved for future research.
Thomas Zurbuchen, the Associate Administrator for Science at NASA Headquarters, emphasized the significance of OSIRIS-REx’s accomplishments, highlighting the daring and innovative nature of real-time exploration. Zurbuchen expressed excitement about the fascinating secrets that the sample could unlock for generations of researchers.
Following the completion of its work with Bennu, OSIRIS-REx will be renamed OSIRIS-APEX and embark on a new adventure to the near-Earth asteroid Apophis. By 2029, the spacecraft will settle into orbit around the 1,200-foot (370 meters) wide space rock, further expanding our understanding of celestial bodies in our cosmic neighborhood.
As the OSIRIS-REx sample return mission approaches its crucial stage, space enthusiasts around the world eagerly await the livestream coverage provided by the Virtual Telescope Project. This opportunity to witness NASA’s historic mission in real-time promises to captivate audiences and underscore the remarkable achievements being made in space exploration.