[ad_1] Once OSIRIS-REx has landed, a robotic sampling arm will perform Touch-And-Go (TAG) collection. The mission is to collect at least two ounces, or 60 grams, of rocky material. If the first TAG attempt in October does not collect enough material, OSIRIS-REx has onboard nitrogen charges to power two more attempts. The spacecraft is scheduled […]
Category: osiris-rex
The Big Picture: Asteroid Bennu in unprecedented detail
[ad_1] According to NASA, “this is the highest resolution at which a planetary body has been globally mapped.” So while we’ve definitely seen closer up image of Mars and the Moon, that’s only been within a narrow field of view seen by a rover other type of lander — any orbiting craft can’t capture detail […]
NASA hopes OSIRIS-REx data will explain an asteroid’s mini-eruptions
[ad_1] OSIRIS-REx has been surveying Bennu since it arrived on December 3rd, 2018, with the aim of finding a boulder-free landing site. Based on observations so far, scientists have several theories about the eruptions. One is that small fragments of space rock called meteoroids are striking Bennu, dislodging particles. Another explanation is thermal stress fracturing. […]
NASA chooses four potential asteroid sample sites for OSIRIS-REx
[ad_1] The fact that OSIRIS-Rex was designed to identify sample sites with an 82-foot radius made things even more difficult. To be able to find four boulder-free areas, the mission team had to adjust the spacecraft’s sample site identification process to be able to detect sites with a radius of 16 to 33 feet. The […]