NASA's OSIRIS-REx Successfully Collects Asteroid Bennu Sample

Update: The spacecraft has successfully landed and collected a sample! OSIRIS-REx is currently departing the asteroid with the acquired material and will commence its return trip to Earth once the path is secure.

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is poised to make contact with an asteroid to obtain a sample, and its progress can be followed in real-time—to a degree. The spacecraft is scheduled to execute its sample acquisition procedure this afternoon, and confirmation of success or any issues will be available shortly after.

OSIRIS-REx, an acronym for Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification Security — Regolith Explorer, began its mission with a launch in September 2016. After reaching the asteroid Bennu, it engaged in a precise orbital pattern around it, achieving proximity records in the process.

Today represents the peak of the team’s work, with the actual “touch-and-go” (TAG) maneuver. This will involve the probe briefly settling on the asteroid’s surface to collect a portion of its valuable space material. Following confirmation of successful sampling, the spacecraft will quickly ascend to leave Bennu and begin its voyage back to Earth.

Image Credits: NASAImage Credits: NASA

Although a live, high-definition video of the entire attempt won’t be available, NASA will present a live animation based on data transmitted by OSIRIS-REx, and any images obtained during the descent will also be shared.

The feasibility and success of this type of mission have already been demonstrated by Japan’s Hayabusa-2 asteroid mission, which completed a similar operation last year. That mission utilized an additional technique of launching a projectile into the surface to agitate the material and gather a more varied sample.

NASA’s coverage begins at 2 p.m. PDT, with the planned touchdown occurring approximately an hour later, at 3:12 p.m., assuming everything proceeds as expected. The event will be simulated on this Twitch feed, updated live, and NASA TV will also provide live coverage and commentary on its YouTube channel. Images from the descent and sample collection may be available, but will be subject to a delay due to the challenges of transmitting data across such a vast distance. For the most current information, it is recommended to monitor the NASA broadcasts closely.