OSIRIS-REx Mission Design: Sample Acquisition Campaign

  • Released Wednesday, August 17, 2016
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After nine months in orbit around asteroid Bennu, OSIRIS-REx will begin the process of maneuvering closer to the surface in preparation of the sample collection event. Once the sample site has been selected, OSIRIS-REx will break from its polar orbit to practice three flyovers of the site at increasing proximities, eventually matching Bennu's speed and rotation. The narrow-angle PolyCam will image the sample site at sub-centimeter resolution during these close passes.

When OSIRIS-REx is ready, it will slowly descend to Bennu's surface at a few centimeters per second. Its outstretched arm will touch down and blow high-pressure nitrogen gas into Bennu's soil. This will force loose dust, dirt, and rocks upward into the TAGSAM head, trapping the material inside. OSIRIS-REx will then weigh and stow the captured sample for return to Earth in 2023.

OSIRIS-REx approaches Bennu

TAG Arm Deploy

TAG Arm Deploy Reverse

OSIRIS-REx desending to Bennu

OSIRIS-REx approach continued

TAGSAM getting closer

OSIRIS-REx almost there

Contact

OSIRIS-REx Pulls away

TAG Maneuver Interior Cutaway

OSIRIS-REx backs away from Bennu

Sample Verification OCAMS SamCam

Sample Verification OCAMS Sam Cam 2

Sample Mass Measurement

Sample Stowage Sequence

Sample Stowage Sequence Closeup

OSIRIS-REx Stows the TAG Arm

Returning to Earth

Credits

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab

Missions

This page is related to the following missions:

This page was originally published on Wednesday, August 17, 2016.
This page was last updated on Monday, February 17, 2025 at 12:15 AM EST.