NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission nears historic sample delivery from asteroid Bennu

NASA's OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer) is rapidly approaching its final milestone as it prepares to deliver a precious sample collected from a near-Earth asteroid called Bennu on September 24, 2023.

OSIRIS-REx will deliver the asteroid Bennu sample to Earth on September 24, 2023, marking another giant leap in humanity's quest to unravel the secrets of the universe. With just a few months left until the long-awaited rendezvous, scientists and space enthusiasts alike are eagerly awaiting the return of this extraterrestrial treasure.

For the unversed, OSIRIS-REx embarked on its groundbreaking mission in September 2016. Throughout its two-and-a-half years of operations on the asteroid, the mission achieved numerous historic milestones, including surpassing its previous record for the closest orbit of a planetary body by a spacecraft.

After successfully completing a series of intricate maneuvers and overcoming numerous challenges, OSIRIS-REx approached Bennu and executed a precise touch-and-go (TAG) maneuver on October 20, 2020. The sampling event brought the spacecraft all the way down to sample site Nightingale, and its sampling arm collected at least 2 ounces (60 grams) of the asteroid's surface material.

The upcoming sample delivery will mark a historic moment for NASA and the scientific community, as it will be the first time a spacecraft has brought back a pristine sample from an asteroid. Scientists anticipate that the sample will provide invaluable clues about how planets formed and how life began, as well as improve our understanding of asteroids that could impact Earth in future.

NASA has decided to allocate 75% of the samples for future generations to explore using technologies that have yet to be developed.

How did our solar system form? Did asteroids influence the origin of life? Explore the questions driving astrobiology research plans for the OSIRIS-REx sample return #ToBennuAndBack on Sept. 24: https://t.co/T5Vkyx8j6R pic.twitter.com/q39bqCBFoR

— NASA Astrobiology: Exploring Life in the Universe (@NASAAstrobio) May 26, 2023