The Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification Security - Regolith Explorer spacecraft will travel to a near-Earth asteroid, called Bennu (formerly 1999 RQ36), and bring at least a 2.1-ounce sample back to Earth for study. The mission will help scientists investigate how planets formed and how life began, as well as improve our understanding of asteroids that could impact Earth.OSIRIS-REx launched on Sept. 8, 2016, at 7:05 p.m. EDT. As planned, the spacecraft will reach its target asteroid in 2018 and return a sample to Earth in 2023. These animations depict the journey of OSIRIS-REx to Bennu and back, including the complex maneuvers that the spacecraft will perform in the asteroid's low-gravity environment. The animations are presented in chronological order. ||

The 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. || bennu_callouts_05_labels_4k_60fps_1349_print.jpg (1024x576) [149.3 KB] || bennu_callouts_05_labels_4k_60fps_1349_thm.png (80x40) [5.6 KB] || bennu_callouts_05_labels_4k_60fps_1349_print_searchweb.png (320x180) [56.8 KB] || bennu_callouts_05_labels_4k_60fps_1080p60.mp4 (1920x1080) [30.4 MB] || bennu_callouts_05_labels_4k_60fps_1080p60.webm (1920x1080) [4.3 MB] || Bennu_SampleSiteCallouts_wLabels (3840x2160) [0 Item(s)] || bennu_callouts_05_labels_4k_60fps_2160p30.mp4 (3840x2160) [70.5 MB] || 4744_Bennu_4_Sites_Output.en_US.srt [47 bytes] || 4744_Bennu_4_Sites_Output.en_US.vtt [60 bytes] || 4744_Bennu_4_Candidate_Sites.mov (3840x2160) [3.1 GB] || bennu_callouts.hwshow [68 bytes] ||

Global view of asteroid Bennu with insets of the four candidate sample collection sites. This animation is available in Hyperwall resolution (5760x3240).This video is also available on our YouTube channel. || bennu_sites_agu_4k_04_0750_print.jpg (1024x576) [155.8 KB] || bennu_sites_agu_4k_04_0750_searchweb.png (320x180) [64.4 KB] || bennu_sites_agu_4k_04_0750_thm.png (80x40) [5.1 KB] || bennu_sites_1080p30.mp4 (1920x1080) [82.9 MB] || bennu_sites_1080p30.webm (1920x1080) [9.3 MB] || Bennu_SampleSites (5760x3240) [0 Item(s)] || Bennu_SampleSites (3840x2160) [0 Item(s)] || captions_silent.28627.en_US.srt [43 bytes] || bennu_sites_2160p30.mp4 (3840x2160) [218.3 MB] || 4771_Bennu_Sites_3D_Clean.mov (3840x2160) [4.9 GB] || bennu_sites_1080p30.mp4.hwshow [185 bytes] ||

Looping animation of asteroid Bennu rotating. This 3D model of Bennu was created using 20cm resolution laser altimetry data and imagery taken by OSIRIS-REx. || Bennu_spin_full_20cm.1000_print.jpg (1024x576) [82.7 KB] || Bennu_spin_full_20cm.1000_searchweb.png (320x180) [17.4 KB] || Bennu_spin_full_20cm.1000_thm.png (80x40) [1.5 KB] || Bennu_spin_full_20cm_1080p30.webm (1920x1080) [14.4 MB] || Bennu_spin_full_20cm_1080p30.mp4 (1920x1080) [111.9 MB] || Bennu_GlobalSpin_20cm (3840x2160) [0 Item(s)] || Bennu_spin_full_20cm_2160p30.mp4 (3840x2160) [351.8 MB] || 4771_20cm_Bennu_Global_Spin.mov (3840x2160) [8.1 GB] || Bennu_spin_full_20cm_1080p30.mp4.hwshow [194 bytes] ||

Looping animation of asteroid Bennu rotating. This 3D model of Bennu was created using 20cm resolution laser altimetry data and imagery taken by OSIRIS-REx. || bennu_spin_v3_02.1000_print.jpg (1024x576) [75.3 KB] || bennu_spin_v3_02.1000_searchweb.png (320x180) [18.4 KB] || bennu_spin_v3_02.1000_thm.png (80x40) [1.6 KB] || bennu_spin_v3_1080p30.mp4 (1920x1080) [77.5 MB] || Bennu_GlobalSpin_20cm_v2 (3840x2160) [0 Item(s)] || bennu_spin_v3_2160p30.webm (3840x2160) [32.4 MB] || bennu_spin_v3_2160p30.mp4 (3840x2160) [242.3 MB] || 4857_Bennu_Global_Spin_20cm.mov (3840x2160) [12.0 GB] || 01_dworkin_bennu.hwshow ||

This visualization depicts the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft’s trajectory around the asteroid Bennu from the initial arrival in Dec 2018 through the final departure in April 2021. The trajectory is presented in a Sun Bennu North reference frame. Several mission segments are highlighted in white, leading up to the TAG sample collection maneuver on Oct 20, 2020. || web_around_bennu-orbits_bennu_stars.15100_print.jpg (1024x576) [105.4 KB] || web_around_bennu-orbits_bennu_stars.15100_searchweb.png (320x180) [55.9 KB] || web_around_bennu-orbits_bennu_stars.15100_thm.png (80x40) [3.5 KB] || web_around_bennu-orbits_bennu_stars_1080p60.mp4 (1920x1080) [215.7 MB] || web_around_bennu-orbits_bennu_stars (3840x2160) [0 Item(s)] || web_around_bennu-orbits_bennu_stars_2160p60.webm (3840x2160) [133.2 MB] || web_around_bennu-orbits_bennu_stars_2160p60.mp4 (3840x2160) [759.1 MB] ||

Top-down view of OSIRIS-REx’s return to Earth after studying asteroid Bennu. A sample of Bennu’s surface carried by the spacecraft will be deposited at Earth on Sept. 24, 2023. The spacecraft will then begin its extended mission - beginning the long journey towards a rendezvous with Apophis in 2029. || orex_return.02345_print.jpg (1024x576) [37.8 KB] || orex_return.02345_searchweb.png (320x180) [40.7 KB] || orex_return.02345_thm.png (80x40) [2.3 KB] || orex_return (3840x2160) [0 Item(s)] || orex_return_2160p60.mp4 (3840x2160) [125.3 MB] || orex_return_2160p60_prores.mov (3840x2160) [34.9 GB] ||

OSIRIS-REx will visit a Near Earth asteroid called Bennu and return with samples that may hold clues to the origins of the solar system and perhaps life itself. It will also investigate the asteroid's chance of impacting Earth in 2182. For the mission, NASA has selected the team led by Principal Investigator Dr. Dante Lauretta from the University of Arizona. NASA GSFC will manage the mission and Lockheed Martin Space Systems will build the spacecraft. Arizona State University will supply the OTES instrument; NASA GSFC will supply the OVIRS instrument; the Canadian Space Agency will supply the OLA instrument; the University of Arizona will supply the OCAMS camera suite; Harvard/MIT will supply the REXIS instrument; and Flight Dynamics will supply the KinetX instrument. ||

Excerpts of 14 short films about the NASA's Goddadrd Space Flight Center. ||

THIS PAGE FEATURES OLDER CONTENT FOR OSIRIS-REx. NEWER CONTENT IS AVAILABLE ON THE OSIRIS-REx GALLERY. ||