OSIRIS-REx – Asteroid Bennu Sample Site Flyovers
- Visualizations by:
- Kel Elkins
- View full credits
Movies
- bennu_sites_1080p30.mp4 (1920x1080) [82.9 MB]
- bennu_sites_1080p30.webm (1920x1080) [9.3 MB]
- bennu_sites_2160p30.mp4 (3840x2160) [218.3 MB]
- 4771_Bennu_Sites_3D_Clean.mov (3840x2160) [4.9 GB]
Captions
- captions_silent.28627.en_US.srt [43 bytes]
Images
- bennu_sites_agu_4k_04_0750_print.jpg (1024x576) [155.8 KB]
- bennu_sites_agu_4k_04_0750_thm.png (80x40) [5.1 KB]
- bennu_sites_agu_4k_04_0750_searchweb.png (320x180) [64.4 KB]
Frames
- frames/3840x2160_16x9_30p/Bennu_SampleSites/ (3840x2160) [112.0 KB]
- frames/5760x3240_16x9_30p/Bennu_SampleSites/ (5760x3240) [112.0 KB]
Global view of asteroid Bennu with insets of the four candidate sample collection sites. This animation is available in Hyperwall resolution (5760x3240).
The main science goal of OSIRIS-REx is to briefly touch down on Bennu and collect a sample for return to Earth, but the asteroid’s unexpected roughness could pose a hazard to the spacecraft. Areas for safely touching down are fewer and smaller than anticipated, and OSIRIS-REx will have to navigate to them with unprecedented accuracy.
In mid-2019, mission planners identified four candidate sample collection sites, and named them after birds that can be found in Egypt: Osprey, Kingfisher, Nightingale, and Sandpiper. In December 2019, mission planners announced that they had selected Nightingale as the primary sample collection site, and Osprey as the backup. Late in 2020, OSIRIS-REx will descend to Bennu's surface and collect a sample of pristine material from the origins of the solar system that will be studied on Earth for decades to come.
The 3D animations on this page were created using laser altimetry data and imagery of Bennu taken by OSIRIS-REx. The animations are available in Hyperwall resolution (5760x3240).
Movies
- Bennu_spin_1080p30.mp4 (1920x1080) [74.9 MB]
- Bennu_spin_1080p30.webm (1920x1080) [14.2 MB]
- Bennu_spin_2160p30.mp4 (3840x2160) [242.1 MB]
- 4771_Bennu_Global_Spin_Loop.mov (3840x2160) [8.1 GB]
Captions
- captions_silent.28629.en_US.srt [43 bytes]
Images
- Bennu_spin_4k_02.13000_print.jpg (1024x576) [66.1 KB]
Frames
- frames/3840x2160_16x9_30p/Bennu_GlobalSpin/ (3840x2160) [148.0 KB]
- frames/5760x3240_16x9_30p/Bennu_GlobalSpin/ (5760x3240) [148.0 KB]
Looping animation of asteroid Bennu. This animation is available in Hyperwall resolution (5760x3240).
Movies
- Bennu_sites_nightingale_1080p30.mp4 (1920x1080) [55.6 MB]
- Bennu_sites_nightingale_1080p30.webm (1920x1080) [7.6 MB]
- Bennu_sites_nightingale_2160p30.mp4 (3840x2160) [136.2 MB]
- 4771_Bennu_Nightingale_Clean.mov (3840x2160) [4.1 GB]
Captions
- 4771_Bennu_Nightingale_No_Audio.en_US.srt [47 bytes]
- 4771_Bennu_Nightingale_No_Audio.en_US.vtt [60 bytes]
Images
- Bennu_sites_nightingale_09_4k.8350_print.jpg (1024x576) [158.5 KB]
Frames
- frames/3840x2160_16x9_30p/Bennu_Sites_Nightingale/ (3840x2160) [108.0 KB]
- frames/5760x3240_16x9_30p/Bennu_Sites_Nightingale/ (5760x3240) [120.0 KB]
PRIMARY SAMPLE SITE: NIGHTINGALE
Closeup view of Nightingale, the primary sample collection site. Nightingale is located near Bennu’s north pole, and sits inside a 66-foot-wide crater. This animation is available in Hyperwall resolution (5760x3240).
Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.
Movies
- Bennu_sites_osprey_1080p30.mp4 (1920x1080) [53.5 MB]
- Bennu_sites_osprey_1080p30.webm (1920x1080) [7.7 MB]
- Bennu_sites_osprey_2160p30.mp4 (3840x2160) [132.2 MB]
- 4771_Bennu_Osprey_Clean.mov (3840x2160) [4.2 GB]
Captions
- 4771_Bennu_Osprey_No_Audio.en_US.srt [47 bytes]
- 4771_Bennu_Osprey_No_Audio.en_US.vtt [60 bytes]
Images
- Bennu_sites_osprey_09_4k.6350_print.jpg (1024x576) [155.2 KB]
Frames
- frames/3840x2160_16x9_30p/Bennu_Sites_Osprey/ (3840x2160) [92.0 KB]
- frames/5760x3240_16x9_30p/Bennu_Sites_Osprey/ (5760x3240) [108.0 KB]
BACKUP SAMPLE SITE: OSPREY
Closeup view of Osprey, the backup sample collection site. Osprey is located just north of Bennu’s equatorial bulge, and sits inside a 66-foot-wide crater. This animation is available in Hyperwall resolution (5760x3240).
Watch this video on the NASA.gov Video YouTube channel.
Movies
- Bennu_sites_kingfisher_1080p30.mp4 (1920x1080) [55.9 MB]
- Bennu_sites_kingfisher_1080p30.webm (1920x1080) [7.7 MB]
- Bennu_sites_kingfisher_2160p30.mp4 (3840x2160) [139.9 MB]
- 4771_Bennu_Kingfisher_Clean.mov (3840x2160) [4.2 GB]
Captions
- captions_silent.28630.en_US.srt [43 bytes]
Images
- Bennu_sites_kingfisher_09_4k.3900_print.jpg (1024x576) [164.0 KB]
Frames
- frames/3840x2160_16x9_30p/Bennu_Sites_Kingfisher/ (3840x2160) [108.0 KB]
- frames/5760x3240_16x9_30p/Bennu_Sites_Kingfisher/ (5760x3240) [120.0 KB]
Closeup view of Kingfisher, a candidate sample collection site. Kingfisher is located just north of Bennu’s equator, and is centered on a small crater surrounded by boulders. This animation is available in Hyperwall resolution (5760x3240).
Movies
- Bennu_sites_sandpiper_1080p30.mp4 (1920x1080) [56.9 MB]
- Bennu_sites_sandpiper_1080p30.webm (1920x1080) [7.9 MB]
- Bennu_sites_sandpiper_2160p30.mp4 (3840x2160) [137.6 MB]
- 4771_Bennu_Sandpiper_Clean.mov (3840x2160) [4.2 GB]
Captions
- captions_silent.28640.en_US.srt [43 bytes]
Images
- Bennu_sites_sandpiper_09_4k.10350_print.jpg (1024x576) [166.2 KB]
Frames
- frames/3840x2160_16x9_30p/Bennu_Sites_Sandpiper/ (3840x2160) [108.0 KB]
- frames/5760x3240_16x9_30p/Bennu_Sites_Sandpiper/ (5760x3240) [120.0 KB]
Closeup view of Sandpiper, a candidate sample collection site. Sandpiper resides in Bennu’s southern hemisphere, on the floor of a large crater. This animation is available in Hyperwall resolution (5760x3240).
For More Information
See NASA.gov
Credits
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio
Data provided by NASA/University of Arizona/CSA/York University/MDA.
Visualizer
- Kel Elkins (USRA) [Lead]
Producer
- Dan Gallagher (KBRwyle)
Technical support
- Eric Sokolowsky (GST)
- Ian Jones (ADNET)
Communications
- Erin Morton (The University of Arizona)
- Nancy Neal-Jones (NASA/GSFC)
Missions
This visualization is related to the following missions:Datasets used in this visualization
OSIRIS-REx Imagery (Collected with the OCAMS sensor)
The OSIRIS-REx Camera Suite (OCAMS) consists of three cameras: PolyCam, MapCam, and SamCam. These cameras captured a wealth of imagery during OSIRIS-REx’s time at asteroid Bennu. To help mission planners select a site on Bennu for sample collection, OCAMS provided global image mapping of the asteroid’s surface and more detailed images of potential sample sites. OCAMS also recorded the sampling event during the touch-and-go (TAG) maneuver.
Credit: NASA/University of Arizona/CSA/York University/MDA
See more visualizations using this data setOSIRIS-REx LIDAR (Collected with the OLA sensor)
The OSIRIS-REx Laser Altimeter (OLA) is a scanning LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). LIDAR is similar to RADAR, but it uses light instead of radio waves to measure distance. OLA emitted laser pulses at the surface of Bennu, which reflected back from the surface and returned a portion of the laser pulse to the LIDAR detector. By carefully measuring the time difference between the outgoing pulse and the incoming pulse, the distance from the spacecraft to the surface of Bennu was computed using the speed of light. This allowed OLA to provide high-resolution topographical information about Bennu during the mission.
See more visualizations using this data setNote: While we identify the data sets used in these visualizations, we do not store any further details nor the data sets themselves on our site.
Related pages
Bennu visualization on the cover of Science
Feb. 15th, 2021
Read more3d model of asteroid Bennu with three data layers. Left to right - Albedo map with global image mosaic, carbon data, and false-color imagery. 3d model of asteroid Bennu with albedo map and global image mosaic 3d model of asteroid Bennu with carbon data 3d model of asteroid Bennu with false-color imagery This visualization of Bennu was selected for the cover of the November 6th special issue of Science. The image was created using high-resolution imagery and laser altimetry data from the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. Multiple data layers were wrapped to a detailed 3D model of the asteroid, representing just a few of the recent science results from the mission. More information about this issue of Science (as well as the final cover image) can be found here: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/370/6517 Related pages
OSIRIS-REx TAG Event: Animations
Oct. 19th, 2020
Read moreThe Checkpoint burn sends OSIRIS-REx toward sample site Nightingale. SamCam imaging sequence, from Checkpoint to Matchpoint, simulating one frame per minute. The Matchpoint burn zeroes out OSIRIS-REx's horizontal velocity relative to site Nightingale, so that the spacecraft does not tip over during TAG. SamCam imaging sequence, from Matchpoint to TAG, simulating one frame every 15 seconds. OSIRIS-REx will use an onboard Hazard Map to autonomously determine whether it is safe to touch down on Bennu's rocky surface at the predicted point of contact. After OSIRIS-REx touches down on Bennu, it will fire nitrogen gas into the surface to stir up and capture loose material, then it will back away to a safe distance from the asteroid. The TAGSAM mechanism will fire nitrogen gas into Bennu's surface, creating a reverse vacuum in order to capture small rocks and dust inside the sampler head. After touching Bennu's surface for only a few seconds, OSIRIS-REx will fire its thrusters and back away to a safe distance with its precious cargo. This media resource page provides animations of the OSIRIS-REx Touch-And-Go (TAG) event. OSIRIS-REx is NASA's first asteroid-sample return mission. Its goal is to study near-Earth asteroid Bennu and return a sample to Earth in 2023. The primary sample site for TAG is a small crater called Nightingale, which is surrounded by large boulders that could pose a hazard to the spacecraft.All animations available in 4K Ultra HD resolution. For More InformationSee [NASA.gov](https://www.nasa.gov/osiris-rex) Related pages
OSIRIS-REx Live Shots: NASA Will Make U.S. History Next Week Snagging Samples From An Asteroid For …
Oct. 14th, 2020
Read moreQuick link to the OSIRIS-REx team cheering after a successful TAG maneuver on Tuesday, Oct 20Quick link to B-ROLL for the live shotsClick here for OSIRIS-REx PRESS KITClick here for Latest releaseLatest release in Spanish.OSIRIS-REx poster COLLECTABLESWhy Bennu? 10 Reasons***NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is going Asteroid Hunting. Listen now to NASA's "Curious Universe" podcast that takes you inside the daring mission B-roll graphics NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is going Asteroid Hunting. Listen now to NASA's "Curious Universe" podcast that takes you inside the daring mission: to briefly reach out its mechanical arm and grab a sample from an asteroid’s surface. Dante Lauretta, Heather Enos, and Ron Mink introduce you to NASA’s asteroid hunter and what this sample return mission means for us here on Earth. The OSIRIS-REx team celebrates after a sucessful TAG maneuver on Tuesday, Oct 20. Location: Littleton, CO NASA’s First Asteroid Sample Return Mission Is Ready For TouchdownNext Week NASA Will Snag A Sample From An Ancient Relic Of Our Solar SystemNASA’s OSIRIS-REx Will Help Unlock The Secrets Of Our Solar System NASA’s first-ever sample return mission to an asteroid is about to make history. Next week, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will attempt to retrieve a sample from an asteroid named Bennu. Asteroids are remnants of the building blocks that formed the planets in our solar system, and perhaps enabled life on Earth. They contain natural resources such as water, organics and metals. Could carbon-rich asteroids have seeded our early Earth with the organic chemistry needed for life to develop? And they can be dangerous. Bennu has a 1:2700 chance of impacting Earth in the late 2100s, but this mission will also help us learn more about protecting ourselves if necessary. NASA experts are available virtually for live or taped interviews on October 20th from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. EDT - the morning of this historic maneuver - to tell your viewers how they can watch the event unfold, and what scientists hope to learn from this out-of-this-world sample from a nearby asteroid. ** NASA TV will begin live coverage beginning at 5:00 p.m. EDT on October 20th. The “Touch-And-Go,” or TAG, maneuver is scheduled for around 6:12 p.m. EDT. **In 2016, NASA launched OSIRIS-REx on an epic mission to capture a sample of an asteroid and bring it back to Earth. On the evening of October 20th, the spacecraft will descend to the boulder-strewn surface of Bennu to a site called Nightingale, where the spacecraft’s robotic sampling arm will attempt to snag a sample. There are more than a million known asteroids in our solar system, but Bennu is an ideal candidate for closer study because of its size, composition and proximity to Earth. Bennu is an artifact of the ancient solar system, a silent witness to the titanic events in our solar system’s 4.6 billion-year history. The spacecraft is scheduled to depart Bennu in 2021 and it will deliver the collected sample to Earth on Sep. 24, 2023. To Schedule an interview: Please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/uTgSr3r8LQr3nPt2A*Spanish Interviews are available*Interviews will be conducted using video chat programs including Skype in 15-minute slots. For example 600-615 ET, 615-630 EDT, etc. Satellite interviews are not available. Participating Scientists/Engineers:Jim Garvin / NASA Goddard Chief ScientistDanny Glavin / NASA ScientistJason Dworkin / NASA ScientistLucy Lim / NASA ScientistNayi Castro / NASA Engineer*Jose Aponte / NASA Scientist *Geronimo Villanueva / NASA Scientist * Location: Denver, COThomas Zurbuchen / Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate, NASA HeadquartersLori Glaze / Director, Planetary Science Mission Directorate, NASA HeadquartersMark Clampin / Director of Sciences and Exploration Directorate, NASA GoddardDante Lauretta / OSIRIS-REx Principal Investigator, University of ArizonaMichelle Thaller / NASA ScientistSuggested Questions: Later today, NASA’s first asteroid sample return mission, OSIRIS-REx, will attempt to collect a sample from an asteroid named Bennu, to bring back to Earth. Tell us what is going to happen today.How tricky is today’s maneuver to collect the sample?What happens if you’re not able to collect a sample today?There are a lot of asteroids in our solar system. Why was Bennu chosen?What can asteroids teach us about the origins of our solar system, and whether life might exist elsewhere?What are you most excited about learning from this mission?How can our viewers watch today’s event unfold, and stay up to date on the mission? Longer interview questions: OSIRIS-REx first launched in 2016 and arrived at Bennu in 2018. Why have scientists waited so long to actually obtain a sample? How is the spacecraft able to keep up with the asteroid?The spot on Bennu where the spacecraft will touch is named Nightingale. What is the reason behind choosing this location?Scientists originally thought Bennu would have a smooth surface, but it’s proven to be a very rocky and treacherous surface. Can you talk about some of the other surprising things you’ve learned about this asteroid?What can asteroids teach us about our place in the universe and whether life might exist in other solar systems?The Apollo astronauts brought back samples of the Moon that we’re still studying today. Can you talk about why sample return missions are so important to scientists and what future missions might explore?What will scientists do once the sample returns to Earth? Suggested Anchor Intro: IT’S GAME DAY FOR NASA.... LATER TODAY, NASA WILL MAKE HISTORY WHEN ITS OSIRIS-REX SPACECRAFT ATTEMPTS TOUCHDOWN FOR THE FIRST TIME TO COLLECT A SAMPLE FROM AN ASTEROID THAT WILL LATER RETURN TO EARTH. TODAY WE HAVE XXXX JOINING US FROM XX, XXX TO TALK ABOUT THIS EXCITING MISSION, HOW WE CAN WATCH THE EVENTS UNFOLD AND WHAT SCIENTISTS ARE HOPING TO LEARN. Related pages
Tour of Asteroid Bennu – Visualizations
Oct. 8th, 2020
Read moreThis first shot of the sequence begins with OSIRIS-REx’s arrival at the asteroid Bennu. A low resolution view of the asteroid is presented and thermal inertia data fades in, representing our initial understanding of the asteroid. The asteroid then spins quickly to serve as a transition to the second shot in the sequence. This second shot in the sequence begins with a fast spinning Bennu, matching the end of the first shot in the sequence. As Bennu’s rotation decelerates, a highly detailed view of the asteroid is revealed using 20cm terrain elevation data (OLA) and high resolution imagery (PolyCam). The camera then zooms in and flys over several locations - Simurgh, Roc, Gargoyle, and Ocypete. Each of these locations are presented using 5cm terrain elevation tiles. The third shot of the sequence begins with a dramatic reveal of BenBen, the tallest boulder on Bennu. The shot begins in darkness and sunlight sweeps across the surface of the asteroid. The camera rotates down to the horizon to show the height of the boulder before zooming over to a view of two boulders found to contain pyroxene. The camera then zooms back out to a global view and we see OSIRIS-REx in orbit around the asteroid. When NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft arrived at asteroid Bennu in December 2018, its close-up images confirmed what mission planners had predicted nearly two decades before: Bennu is made of loose material weakly clumped together by gravity, and shaped like a spinning top. This major validation, however, was accompanied by a major surprise. Scientists had expected Bennu’s surface to consist of fine-grained material like a sandy beach, but instead OSIRIS-REx was greeted by a rugged world littered with boulders – the size of cars, the size of houses, the size of football fields.This video explores several interesting features of Bennu. The surface features are presented in vivid detail thanks to detailed terrain data from the OLA instrument and high resolution imagery from the PolyCam instrument. Related pages
Tour of Asteroid Bennu
Oct. 8th, 2020
Read moreTake a narrated tour of asteroid Bennu’s remarkable terrain. Complete transcript available.Universal Production Music: “Timelapse Clouds” by Andy Blythe and Marten Joustra; “The Wilderness” by Benjamin James Parsons; “Maps of Deception” by Idriss-El-Mehdi Bennani, Olivier Louis Perrot, and Philippe Andre VandenhendeWatch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel. When NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft arrived at asteroid Bennu in December 2018, its close-up images confirmed what mission planners had predicted nearly two decades before: Bennu is made of loose material weakly clumped together by gravity, and shaped like a spinning top. This major validation, however, was accompanied by a major surprise. Scientists had expected Bennu’s surface to consist of fine-grained material like a sandy beach, but were instead greeted by a rugged world littered with boulders – the size of cars, the size of houses, the size of football fields. Now, thanks to laser altimetry data and high-resolution imagery from OSIRIS-REx, we can take a tour of Bennu’s remarkable terrain. Unlock the secrets of asteroid Bennu.Data provided by NASA/University of Arizona/CSA/York University/Open University/MDA. For More InformationSee [NASA.gov](https://www.nasa.gov/osiris-rex) Related pages
OSIRIS-REx – Detailed Global Views of Asteroid Bennu
Sept. 20th, 2020
Read moreLooping animation of asteroid Bennu rotating. This 3D model of Bennu was created using 20cm resolution laser altimetry data and imagery taken by OSIRIS-REx. Looping animation of sunlight sweeping across the surface of Bennu. This 3D model of Bennu was created using 20cm resolution laser altimetry data and imagery taken by OSIRIS-REx. Print resolution (5760x3240 pixels) still image of Bennu. The Nightingale sample site is visible in the northern hemisphere. Print resolution (5760x3240 pixels) still image of Bennu Print resolution (5760x3240 pixels) still image of Bennu Print resolution (5760x3240 pixels) still image of Bennu Print resolution (5760x3240 pixels) still image of Bennu Print resolution (5760x3240 pixels) still image of Bennu Print resolution (5760x3240 pixels) still image of Bennu Print resolution (5760x3240 pixels) still image of Bennu. The Nightingale sample site is visible in the northern hemisphere. Print resolution (5760x3240 pixels) still image of Bennu Print resolution (5760x3240 pixels) still image of Bennu Print resolution (5760x3240 pixels) still image of Bennu Print resolution (5760x3240 pixels) still image of Bennu Print resolution (5760x3240 pixels) still image of Bennu Print resolution (5760x3240 pixels) still image of Bennu Print resolution (5760x3240 pixels) still image of Bennu When NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft arrived at asteroid Bennu in December 2018, its close-up images confirmed what mission planners had predicted nearly two decades before: Bennu is made of loose material weakly clumped together by gravity, and shaped like a spinning top. This major validation, however, was accompanied by a major surprise. Scientists had expected Bennu’s surface to consist of fine-grained material like a sandy beach, but instead OSIRIS-REx was greeted by a rugged world littered with boulders – the size of cars, the size of houses, the size of football fields.The 3D animations on this page were created using laser altimetry data and imagery of Bennu taken by OSIRIS-REx.The Bennu albedo map was generated using images acquired by PolyCam during Baseball Diamond Flyby 1. The images were photometrically normalized to represent the innate albedo of Bennu’s surface. Details for the creation of the map can be found in the forthcoming publication “A High-Resolution Normal Albedo Map of Asteroid (101955) Bennu” by Golish et al. Icarus (2020). Polar regions that were not imaged in Flyby 1 are visualized using the Bennu global basemap, created from PolyCam images acquired during Baseball Diamond Flybys 3 and 4. Details for the creation of the basemap can be found in “A high-resolution global Basemap of (101955) Bennu” by Bennett et al. Icarus (2020). Related pages
OSIRIS-REx: Countdown to TAG
Sept. 24th, 2020
Read moreDownload recorded audio from this media teleconference. (Right-click and select "Save Link As...").NASA is hosting a media teleconference at 3 p.m. EDT Thursday, Sept. 24, to provide an update on the agency’s first attempt to contact the surface of asteroid Bennu and collect a sample next month.The Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft will travel to the asteroid’s surface during its first sample collection attempt Oct. 20. Its sampling mechanism will touch Bennu’s surface for several seconds, fire a charge of pressurized nitrogen to disturb the surface, and collect a sample before the spacecraft backs away.Participating in this mission update are:•Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate•Lori Glaze, director of NASA's Planetary Science Division•Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal investigator at the University of Arizona, Tucson•Mike Moreau, OSIRIS-REx deputy project manager at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center•Sandra Freund, OSIRIS-REx mission operations manager at Lockheed Martin SpaceFor more information, go to nasa.gov/osiris-rex or asteroidmission.org. Trailer for the OSIRIS-REx TAG EventUniversal Production Music: "The Glory of Victory" by Frederik WiedmannCredit: NASA/Goddard 1. Zurbuchen - OSIRIS-REx OverviewTop Left: OSIRIS-REx Launching from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 411 rocket on September 8, 2016 at 7:05 pm EDT.Top Right: Image of Bennu was taken by the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft.Center: Image of sample site Nightingale Crater, OSIRIS-REx’s primary sample collection site on asteroid Bennu, overlaid with a graphic of the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft to illustrate the scale of the site.Bottom Left: Image of OSIRIS-REx’s SamCam imager’s field of view as the NASA spacecraft approaches asteroid Bennu’s surface, taking during the second dress rehearsal for sample collection on August 11, 2020.Bottom Center: Illustration of trajectory and configuration of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft during Checkpoint rehearsal, which was the first time the mission practiced the initial steps of collecting a sample from asteroid Bennu.Bottom Right: Image of Sierra Gonzalez, Lockheed Martin Systems Engineer, taken April 14, 2020 during the four-hour rehearsal of the Checkpoint maneuver in which OSIRIS-REx came within 125 meters (410 feet) of Bennu’s surface.Credits: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona/ Lockheed Martin/United Launch Alliance 1. Glaze - Asteroid missions and sample returnTop Left: Apollo sample processors (from left to right) Andrea Mosie, Charis Krysher and Juliane Gross open lunar sample 73002 at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. The Moon rocks inside this tube have remained untouched since they were collected on the surface and brought to Earth by Apollo astronauts nearly 50 years ago.Top Right: Scientist-astronaut Harrison H. Schmitt, Apollo 17 lunar module pilot, collects lunar rake samples at Station 1 during the mission's first spacewalk at the Taurus-Littrow landing site.Center: Illustration showing NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft descending towards asteroid Bennu to collect a sample of the asteroid’s surface.Bottom Left: Illustration of NASA’s DART spacecraft prior to impact at the Didymos binary system.Bottom Center: Illustration of NASA’s Lucy spacecraft performing a flyby of a Jupiter Trojan.Bottom Right: Illustration of NASA’s Psyche Spacecraft with Five-Panel Array.Credits: NASA/Goddard/JPL-Caltech / Arizona State University/University of Arizona/Johns Hopkins APL/Space Systems Loral/James Blair/Steve Gribben/Peter Rubin 1. Lauretta - OSIRIS-REx AcronymCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona 2. Lauretta - Asteroid 101955 Bennu rotatingThis rotating mosaic of asteroid Bennu is composed of 40 images captured by the PolyCam imager onboard NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft over a four-hour period on December 2, 2018. During the observation period, the spacecraft’s range to the center of the asteroid decreased from about 15.3 to 14.6 miles (24.6 to 23.5 km).Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona 3. Lauretta - Bennu science highlightsCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona 4. Lauretta - Bennu candidate sites and Nightingale flyoverData provided by NASA/University of Arizona/CSA/York University/MDACredit: NASA/Goddard/SVS 1. Moreau - OSIRIS-REx Matchpoint rehearsalCaptured on August 11, 2020 during the second rehearsal of the OSIRIS-REx mission’s sample collection event, this series of images shows the SamCam imager’s field of view as the NASA spacecraft approaches asteroid Bennu’s surface. The rehearsal brought the spacecraft through the first three maneuvers of the sampling sequence to a point approximately 131 feet (40 meters) above the surface, after which the spacecraft performed a back-away burn.Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona 2. Moreau - TAG Event timelinePreview of the OSIRIS-REx TAG timeline. To grab a sample of Bennu, OSIRIS-REx will break orbit and perform a series of engine burns in order to safely touch down at site Nightingale.Credit: NASA/Goddard/SVS/CI Lab 3. Moreau - Natural Feature TrackingOSIRIS-REx will autonomously steer itself to site Nightingale using an optical navigation technique called Natural Feature Tracking. Watch video on NFT.Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona 4. Moreau - Sampling area to ScaleThis artist concept animation shows a size comparison of the planned sample collection area before arriving at Bennu (orange), and after arriving at Bennu (blue). The original mission plan envisioned a sample site with a diameter of 164 feet (50 m). However, the sampling region for site Nightingale is approximately 26 ft (8 m) in diameter. The area safe enough for the spacecraft to touch is the width of a few parking spaces.Credit: NASA/Goddard/CI Lab 5. Moreau - Sampling area Hazard MapsCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona 6. Moreau - TAG "What If?" HazardsDuring its descent to site Nightingale, OSIRIS-REx could encounter several hazardous scenarios that would prevent it from collecting a sample of asteroid Bennu on its first attempt, including: Wave-Off, TAG on a boulder, and TAG on rocks.Credit: NASA/Goddard/CI Lab 1. Freund - TAGSAM ExplainedOSIRIS-REx descends to the surface of asteroid Bennu to collect a sample of fine-grained material from site Nightingale using its TAGSAM instrument.Credit: NASA/Goddard/CI Lab 2. Freund - Sample StowFollowing collection, OSIRIS-REx will stow its sample of asteroid Bennu for return to Earth in September 2023.Credit: NASA/Goddard/CI Lab 3. Freund - Sample ReturnWhen OSIRIS-REx returns to Earth, it will release the Sample Return Capsule for touchdown in the Utah desert on September 24, 2023.Credit: NASA/Goddard/CI Lab 5. Lauretta - Sample VerificationFollowing TAG, OSIRIS-REx will use SamCam to visually inspect the TAGSAM head and confirm that it has collected a sample from Bennu.Credit: NASA/Goddard/CI Lab 6. Lauretta - Sample Mass MeasurementAfter imaging the TAGSAM head, OSIRIS-REx will perform a spin maneuver with its TAGSAM arm extended to determine the mass of the collected sample.Credit: NASA/Goddard/CI Lab 7. Lauretta - Sample Return Capsule openingClose up of the OSIRIS-REx Sample Return Capsule opening, and the TAGSAM head becoming translucent to reveal material collected from asteroid Bennu.Credit: NASA/Goddard/CI Lab Slate for T-30 press briefingCredit: NASA/Goddard For More InformationSee [NASA.gov](https://www.nasa.gov/osiris-rex) Related pages
Asteroid Bennu: Selecting Site Nightingale
Feb. 27th, 2020
Read moreAfter a year of studying asteroid Bennu, the OSIRIS-REx mission chose a location called “Nightingale” as the primary sample collection site.Universal Production Music: “Extreme Measures” by John Sands and Marc Ferrari, “Ice Echoes” by Dominik Luke Marsden Johnson, “Look at the Mirror” by Jonathan FigoliWatch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.Complete transcript available. Thermal map of asteroid Bennu OSIRIS-REx is a NASA mission to explore near-Earth asteroid Bennu and return a sample to Earth. Prior to arriving at Bennu, mission planners had expected the asteroid’s surface to consist largely of fine particulate material, similar to gravel. When OSIRIS-REx arrived in December 2018, however, it was greeted by a rocky world covered with boulders.This unexpected ruggedness means that there are few places on Bennu where OSIRIS-REx can safely touch down and collect a sample. After a year of studying the asteroid, the mission announced a primary sample collection site, which they designated “Nightingale,” along with a backup site called “Osprey.” In October 2020, OSIRIS-REx will descend to Bennu and attempt to collect up to four-and-a-half pounds of loose material, for return to Earth in 2023.Learn more about the selection of sample site Nightingale. In the thermal map above, asteroid Bennu’s surface temperatures dramatically change from the night side to the day side, experiencing swings of 270 degrees Fahrenheit. The time that it takes for an object to heat up or cool down is determined by its thermal inertia — a property that can be useful in the remote study of planetary bodies.Fine particulate materials like sand or gravel tend to heat up and cool down quickly (low thermal inertia), while solid objects like rocks and boulders do so more slowly (high thermal inertia). By observing how a distant body like Bennu changes temperature over the course of a day, scientists can usually infer the average size of particles on its surface.Before OSIRIS-REx arrived, scientists had observed that Bennu’s surface heats up and cools down relatively quickly, leading them to predict a mean particle size of about 2-3cm. OSIRIS-REx, however, was greeted by a predominantly rocky asteroid, littered with giant boulders. This discrepancy is one of the major surprises of the OSIRIS-REx mission. For More InformationSee [NASA.gov](https://www.nasa.gov/osiris-rex) Related pages
OSIRIS-REx: X Marks the Spot - 2019 AGU Press Conference
Dec. 12th, 2019
Read moreClose-up images of the OSIRIS-REx sample site candidates on asteroid Bennu.Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona 1. Glaze - Common Themes for Small Bodies ResearchCredit: NASA-HQ 2. Glaze - Bennu global mosaic and sample site candidatesCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona 1. Lauretta - Bennu global mosaic and sample site candidates (ibid)Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona 2. Lauretta - Bennu sample site candidate close-upsCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona 3. Lauretta - The OSIRIS-REx primary sample site, NightingaleCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona 4. Lauretta - The OSIRIS-REx primary sample site, Nightingale. The center of the site is marked with an X, and a silhouette of the spacecraft is added for scale.Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona 5. Lauretta - 3D flyover animation of the OSIRIS-REx primary sample site, NightingaleCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona/CSA/York University/MDA 6. Lauretta - The OSIRIS-REx backup sample site, OspreyCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona 7. Lauretta - The OSIRIS-REx backup sample site, Osprey. The center of the site is marked with an X, and a silhouette of the spacecraft is added for scale.Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona 8. Lauretta - 3D flyover animation of the OSIRIS-REx backup sample site, OspreyCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona/CSA/York University/MDA 1. DellaGiustina - Bennu global image mosaicCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona 2. DellaGiustina - Bennu global image mosaic, with primary and backup sample sites labeledCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona 3. DellaGiustina - The OSIRIS-REx primary and backup sample sitesCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona 4. DellaGiustina - The "sampleability" map for Sites Nightingale and Osprey, showing the location of sampleable material at each site. Blue regions correspond to high sampleability, while red regions correspond to low sampleability.Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona 1. Moreau - Animation of OSIRIS-REx collecting a sample of BennuCredit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center 2. Moreau - Size comparison of the planned sample collection safe zone before arriving at Bennu (orange), and after arriving at Bennu (blue). The safe zone for Site Nightingale is no wider than a few parking spaces. Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona 3. Moreau - This image shows sample site Nightingale overlaid with a simplified hazard map. The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft uses this map to autonomously detect surface hazards, such as boulders or rocks, while it descends to collect a sample. The green illustrates areas that are free of hazards, and means the spacecraft will continue to the surface. Yellow demonstrates cautionary areas, and red areas contain the most hazards. If the spacecraft predicts it will touch either a yellow or red area, it will stop its descent and back away.Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona 4. Moreau - OSIRIS-REx Sample Acquisition Campaign scheduleCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona Data visualization of asteroid Bennu and the OSIRIS-REx sample site candidates.Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona/CSA/York University/MDA NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission announced its primary and backup sample collection sites on asteroid Bennu, at a press conference hosted during AGU’s Fall Meeting at 2 p.m. ET, Thursday, Dec. 12.The Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft launched on Sept. 8, 2016, and arrived at asteroid Bennu on Dec. 3, 2018. In mid-2020, it will briefly touch down on Bennu’s surface and collect a sample for return to Earth in late 2023.The mission represents a valuable opportunity to learn more about the origins of our solar system, the sources of water and organic molecules on Earth, and the hazards and resources in near-Earth space. The briefing participants are: Lori Glaze, director of planetary science for NASA's Science Mission Directorate at NASA HeadquartersDante Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal investigator at the University of Arizona, TucsonDani DellaGiustina, OSIRIS-REx image processing lead scientist at the University of Arizona, Tucson Mike Moreau, OSIRIS-REx deputy project manager at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center For more information, go to nasa.gov/osirisrex or asteroidmission.org For More InformationSee [NASA.gov](https://www.nasa.gov/osiris-rex) Related pages
NASA Science Live: OSIRIS-REx - X Marks the Spot (Episode 13)
Dec. 11th, 2019
Read moreNASA Science Live: OSIRIS-REx - X Marks the Spot [Episode 13]Air Date: December, 12, 2019Watch this video on the ScienceAtNASA YouTube channel. This episode of NASA Science Live is broadcasting live from AGU in San Francisco. We have breaking news on our satellite OSIRIS-REx which is orbiting an asteroid named Bennu - and some of its mineral fragments could be older than the solar system itself. These microscopic grains of dust could be the same ones that spewed from dying stars and eventually came together to make the Sun and its planets nearly 4.6 billion years ago. And today we'll announce the site where OSIRIS-REx will attempt to collect at least 30 sugar packets worth of dirt and rocks from Bennu's surface. For More InformationSee [NASA.gov](https://www.nasa.gov/osiris-rex) Related pages
OSIRIS-REx – Global Model of Asteroid Bennu
Feb. 26th, 2020
Read moreLooping animation of asteroid Bennu rotating. This 3D model of Bennu was created using 20cm resolution laser altimetry data and imagery taken by OSIRIS-REx. Short clip of the northern hemisphere of Bennu. This 3D model of Bennu was created using 20cm resolution laser altimetry data and imagery taken by OSIRIS-REx. Short clip of the southern hemisphere of Bennu, highlighting a large boulder nicknamed "BenBen." This 3D model of Bennu was created using 20cm resolution laser altimetry data and imagery taken by OSIRIS-REx. Short clip of the equatorial region of Bennu. This 3D model of Bennu was created using 20cm resolution laser altimetry data and imagery taken by OSIRIS-REx. When NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft arrived at asteroid Bennu in December 2018, its close-up images confirmed what mission planners had predicted nearly two decades before: Bennu is made of loose material weakly clumped together by gravity, and shaped like a spinning top. This major validation, however, was accompanied by a major surprise. Scientists had expected Bennu’s surface to consist of fine-grained material like a sandy beach, but instead OSIRIS-REx was greeted by a rugged world littered with boulders – the size of cars, the size of houses, the size of football fields.The main science goal of OSIRIS-REx is to briefly touch down on Bennu and collect a sample for return to Earth, but the asteroid’s unexpected roughness could pose a hazard to the spacecraft. Areas for safely touching down are fewer and smaller than anticipated, and OSIRIS-REx will have to navigate to them with unprecedented accuracy.The 3D animations on this page were created using laser altimetry data and imagery of Bennu taken by OSIRIS-REx. For More InformationSee [NASA.gov](https://www.nasa.gov/osiris-rex) Related pages
OSIRIS-REx - Asteroid Bennu Sample Site Finalists
Aug. 12th, 2019
Read moreThe visualization begins with a rotating 3D model representation of the asteroid Bennu, created using data from the OSIRIS-REx Laser Altimeter (OLA) instrument. Four candidate sample sites (with labels) are highlighted with PolyCam images.Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel. An animated GIF of the asteroid Bennu with labels of the four candidate sites. UNLABELED VERSIONThe visualization begins with a rotating 3D model representation of the asteroid Bennu, created using data from the OSIRIS-REx Laser Altimeter (OLA) instrument. Four candidate sample sites are highlighted with PolyCam images. Print resolution (16k) still image of the candidate sample sites with labels. Print resolution (16k) still image of the candidate sample sites without labels. Pictured are the four candidate sample collection sites on asteroid Bennu selected by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission. Site Nightingale (top left) is located in Bennu’s northern hemisphere. Sites Kingfisher (top right) and Osprey (bottom left) are located in Bennu’s equatorial region. Site Sandpiper (bottom right) is located in Bennu’s southern hemisphere. In December 2019, one of these sites will be chosen for the mission’s touchdown event.Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona Candidate Bennu sample site - OspreyInstrument Used: OCAMS (PolyCam) Candidate Bennu sample site - KingfisherInstrument Used: OCAMS (PolyCam) Candidate Bennu sample site - NightingaleInstrument Used: OCAMS (PolyCam) Candidate Bennu sample site - SandpiperInstrument Used: OCAMS (PolyCam) Visualization of a rotating 3D model representation of the asteroid Bennu, created using data from the OSIRIS-REx Laser Altimeter (OLA) instrument. Global map of asteroid Bennu, showing the locations of the final four candidate sample sites.Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona Candidate Sample Site Labels OSIRIS-REx is a mission to study and map near-Earth asteroid Bennu. Its primary science objective is to collect a sample of Bennu in mid 2020 and return it to Earth in late 2023. In preparation, mission planners have identified four candidate sample sites on Bennu's rocky surface where OSIRIS-REx could briefly touch down to collect its sample. The mission will down-select to the final two sites – a primary and a backup – in December 2019. Like the mythological Bennu bird for which the asteroid is named, all of the candidate sample sites refer to birds that can be found in Egypt.Learn more about the candidate sample sites on Bennu. For More InformationSee [NASA.gov](https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-mission-selects-final-four-site-candidates-for-asteroid-sample-return) Related pages