NASA's OSIRIS-REx Successfully Delivers Largest Asteroid Sample to Earth
TL;DR
NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft made a final course adjustment, shifting its trajectory nearly 8 miles eastward to refine the landing location of its sample capsule, which is set to return to Earth on September 24. The adjustment ensures the capsule's descent into the designated landing zone in the Defense Department's Utah Test and Training Range. OSIRIS-REx successfully collected samples from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu in October 2020 and is now on its way back to Earth, carrying approximately 8.8 ounces of rocky material, marking the first U.S. asteroid sample upon its return.
Topics:top-newsspace#asteroid-sample#nasa#osiris-rex#space#trajectory-adjustment#utah-test-and-training-range
- NASA's OSIRIS-REx Makes Final Course Adjustment Before Asteroid Sample Delivery SciTechDaily
- NASA spacecraft delivering biggest sample yet from an asteroid The Associated Press
- NASA hoping for big payoff with OSIRIS-REx landing ABC4 Utah
- How NASA's OSIRIS-REx will bring asteroid samples to Earth in 5 not-so-easy steps Space.com
- Incoming asteroid delivery Scientific American
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