Planets and Moons
ID: 13865
After nearly five years in space, NASA’s Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft is on its way back to Earth with an abundance of rocks and dust from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu.
On Monday, May 10, 2021 at 4:23 p.m. EDT the spacecraft fired its main engines full throttle for seven minutes – its most significant maneuver since it arrived at Bennu in 2018. This burn thrust the spacecraft away from the asteroid at 600 miles per hour (nearly 1,000 kilometers per hour), setting it on a 2.5-year cruise towards Earth.
After orbiting the Sun twice, the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is due to reach Earth Sept. 24, 2023. Upon return, the capsule containing pieces of Bennu will separate from the rest of the spacecraft and enter Earth’s atmosphere. The capsule will parachute to the Utah Test and Training Range in Utah’s West Desert, where scientists will be waiting to retrieve it.
OSIRIS-REx Heads Home with Sample of Asteroid Bennu
On Monday, May 10, 2021 at 4:23 p.m. EDT the spacecraft fired its main engines full throttle for seven minutes – its most significant maneuver since it arrived at Bennu in 2018. This burn thrust the spacecraft away from the asteroid at 600 miles per hour (nearly 1,000 kilometers per hour), setting it on a 2.5-year cruise towards Earth.
After orbiting the Sun twice, the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is due to reach Earth Sept. 24, 2023. Upon return, the capsule containing pieces of Bennu will separate from the rest of the spacecraft and enter Earth’s atmosphere. The capsule will parachute to the Utah Test and Training Range in Utah’s West Desert, where scientists will be waiting to retrieve it.
Credits
James Tralie (ADNET Systems, Inc.):
Lead Producer
Editor
Narrator
Ned Barbee (Lockheed Martin):
Producer
Kel Elkins (USRA):
Lead Visualizer
Jonathan North (USRA):
Animator
Walt Feimer (KBR Wyle Services, LLC):
Animator
Aaron E. Lepsch (ADNET Systems, Inc.):
Technical Support
Will Blakley (Lockheed Martin):
Videographer
Dusty Volkel (Lockheed Martin):
Videographer
Lead Producer
Editor
Narrator
Ned Barbee (Lockheed Martin):
Producer
Kel Elkins (USRA):
Lead Visualizer
Jonathan North (USRA):
Animator
Walt Feimer (KBR Wyle Services, LLC):
Animator
Aaron E. Lepsch (ADNET Systems, Inc.):
Technical Support
Will Blakley (Lockheed Martin):
Videographer
Dusty Volkel (Lockheed Martin):
Videographer
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Short URL to share this page:
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/13865
Mission:
OSIRIS-REX
Keywords:
SVS >> Asteroid
SVS >> HDTV
SVS >> OSIRIS-REx
NASA Science >> Planets and Moons
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/13865
Mission:
OSIRIS-REX
Keywords:
SVS >> Asteroid
SVS >> HDTV
SVS >> OSIRIS-REx
NASA Science >> Planets and Moons
