NASAのインスタグラム(nasagoddard) - 8月25日 05時33分

After an almost two-year journey, NASA’s asteroid-sampling spacecraft, the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx), caught its first glimpse of asteroid Bennu last week and began the final approach toward its target. The spacecraft’s camera obtained the image from a distance of 1.4 million miles (2.2 million km). OSIRIS-REx is NASA’s first mission to visit a near-Earth asteroid, survey the surface, collect a sample and deliver it safely back to Earth. The spacecraft has traveled approximately 1.1 billion miles (1.8 billion km) since its Sept. 8, 2016, launch and is scheduled to arrive at Bennu on Dec. 3.

As OSIRIS-REx approaches the asteroid, the spacecraft will use its science instruments to gather information about Bennu and prepare for arrival.

To collect the sample, the spacecraft will hover above Bennu while its sampling arm will touch the surface, releasing a burst of nitrogen gas. This will cause loose rocks and soil to be stirred up and directed into a collector on the sampler head. The entire process will take about five seconds.

After arrival at Bennu, the spacecraft will spend the first month performing flybys of Bennu’s north pole, equator, and south pole, at distances ranging between 11.8 and 4.4 miles (19 and 7 km) from the asteroid. These maneuvers will allow for the first direct measurement of Bennu’s mass as well as close-up observations of the surface. These trajectories will also provide the mission's navigation team with experience navigating near the asteroid.

The spacecraft will extensively survey the asteroid so that the mission team can identify two possible sample collection sites. The sample collection is scheduled for July 2020. After picking up and packing up some regolith, the spacecraft will return to Earth, dropping the Sample Return Capsule in the Utah desert in Sept. 2023.

Credits: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona #nasagoddard #space #bennu #asteroid #science

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