NASA's OSIRIS-REx Lands Samples of Asteroid Bennu to Earth After Historic 4-Billion-Mile Journey
In a historic achievement, NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft successfully landed samples of asteroid Bennu to Earth on Sunday, September 24, 2023. The spacecraft released its sample return capsule at an altitude of about 63,000 miles above Earth, and the capsule parachuted down to the desert floor of the U.S. Department of Defense's Utah Test and Training Range near Dugway, Utah.
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The OSIRIS-REx mission is the first US mission to collect an asteroid sample and return it to Earth. It launched from Florida in 2016 and arrived at Bennu in 2018. In October 2020, the spacecraft collected a sample of the asteroid's surface using a robotic arm. The sample, which is estimated to weigh over 2 ounces, has been preserved in a pristine condition inside the sample return capsule.
The OSIRIS-REx mission is a major scientific breakthrough. The samples collected from Bennu will be studied by scientists around the world to learn more about the origins and evolution of our solar system. The samples could also provide insights into the potential for asteroids to harbor life.
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"This is an incredible achievement for the OSIRIS-REx team and for NASA," said Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA's associate administrator for science. "We have now returned the largest asteroid sample ever collected, and it will revolutionize our understanding of these mysterious objects."
The OSIRIS-REx samples will be transported to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, where they will be curated and prepared for distribution to scientists around the world. Scientists are eager to begin studying the samples to learn more about Bennu's composition, history, and potential for habitability.
The OSIRIS-REx mission is a testament to the power of human ingenuity and perseverance. After a seven-year journey, the spacecraft has successfully returned samples of a pristine asteroid to Earth. These samples will help us to better understand our place in the universe and the potential for life beyond Earth.