NASA Prepares for Arrival of First US Asteroid Sample
A team of NASA scientists is eagerly anticipating the arrival of the first US asteroid sample, which is set to land on Earth in September aboard the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. OSIRIS-REx, short for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer, is the first US mission designed to collect a sample from an asteroid. The spacecraft is scheduled to return to Earth on September 24 carrying approximately 8.8 ounces of rocky material gathered from the surface of asteroid Bennu in 2020.
To ensure a successful landing, a mockup of the OSIRIS-REx sample capsule was dropped from an aircraft on Wednesday and safely reached the designated drop zone at the Department of Defense’s Utah Test and Training Range. This drop test marked the final major trial before the actual capsule arrives.
Nicola Fox, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, expressed excitement about the approaching moment of receiving a significant piece of solar system history on Earth. Fox stated, Pristine material from asteroid Bennu will help shed light on the formation of our solar system 4.5 billion years ago, and perhaps even on how life on Earth began.
This recent drop test followed a series of previous rehearsals performed by the OSIRIS-REx team, including capsule recovery, spacecraft engineering operations, and sample curation procedures. With less than four weeks remaining until the spacecraft’s arrival, the team is now concluding their preparations and eagerly awaits the actual delivery.
The sample collected from the asteroid will provide valuable insights into the formation of our planet and solar system, as well as the origin of organics that potentially contributed to the existence of life on Earth.
The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is expected to enter Earth’s atmosphere at 10:42 a.m. EDT on September 24, traveling at a speed of approximately 27,650 mph. Rich Burns, project manager for OSIRIS-REx at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, compared this stage of the mission to the final leg of a marathon, blending emotions of pride and joy with a determined focus to finish the race well.
Once the asteroid sample is retrieved, it will be carefully documented and cared for at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston before being distributed for analysis among scientists worldwide.
In conclusion, NASA’s preparations for the arrival of the first US asteroid sample are nearing completion. The mission of OSIRIS-REx to collect material from asteroid Bennu and return it to Earth holds the promise of unlocking valuable knowledge about the formation of our solar system and the potential origins of life on our planet. As the spacecraft approaches its destination, the anticipation among the scientists involved continues to grow.
