OSIRIS-REx Mission Design: Sample Acquisition Campaign
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- Visualizations by:
- Walt Feimer
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- Produced by:
- Dan Gallagher
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- Technical support:
- Aaron E. Lepsch
- View full credits
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.
Credits
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab
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Animators
- Walt Feimer (KBR Wyle Services, LLC) [Lead]
- Adriana Manrique Gutierrez (KBR Wyle Services, LLC)
- Lisa Poje (USRA)
- Michael Lentz (KBR Wyle Services, LLC)
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Producer
- Dan Gallagher (KBR Wyle Services, LLC) [Lead]
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Technical support
- Aaron E. Lepsch (ADNET Systems, Inc.) [Lead]