OSIRIS-REx Mission Design: Narrated Feature
- Visualizations by:
- Walt Feimer
- View full credits
Movies
- 11825_OSIRIS-REx_Design_MASTER.webm (960x540) [183.3 MB]
- FACEBOOK_720_11825_OSIRIS-REx_Design_MASTER_facebook_720.mp4 (1280x720) [541.2 MB]
- TWITTER_720_11825_OSIRIS-REx_Design_MASTER_twitter_720.mp4 (1280x720) [86.6 MB]
- 11825_OSIRIS-REx_Design_MASTER_small.mp4 (3840x2160) [578.4 MB]
- 11825_OSIRIS-REx_Design_MASTER_60.mp4 (3840x2160) [6.8 GB]
- 11825_OSIRIS-REx_Design_MASTER_30.mp4 (3840x2160) [6.7 GB]
- 11825_OSIRIS-REx_Design_MASTER.mov (3840x2160) [56.8 GB]
Captions
- 11825_OSIRIS-REx_Design_MASTER_small_Output.en_US.srt [11.3 KB]
- 11825_OSIRIS-REx_Design_MASTER_small_Output.en_US.vtt [11.4 KB]
Images
- 11825_OSIRIS-REx_Design_Thumbnail_2.jpg (2160x1215) [860.2 KB]
- 11825_OSIRIS-REx_Design_Thumbnail_2_thm.png (80x40) [4.6 KB]
- 11825_OSIRIS-REx_Design_Thumbnail_2_searchweb.png (320x180) [63.9 KB]
The OSIRIS-REx mission design includes complex trajectories, polar orbits, and reconnaissance flyovers that will allow the spacecraft to thoroughly explore asteroid Bennu.
Music provided by Killer Tracks: Electric Cosmos, Inducing Waves, Newfound Lands, Crystal Sound Bath, Imperatum
Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.
Complete transcript available.
This video illustrates the OSIRIS-REx mission design in detail, through artist concept animations, data visualizations, launch footage, and imagery from the spacecraft itself. Each phase of the mission is depicted, from launch through sample return, providing an in-depth look at this journey to Bennu and back.
For More Information
See NASA.gov
Credits
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Animators
- Walt Feimer (KBRwyle) [Lead]
- Adriana Manrique Gutierrez (KBRwyle)
- Bailee DesRocher (USRA)
- Josh Masters (Freelance)
- Lisa Poje (USRA)
- Michael Lentz (KBRwyle)
Data visualizer
- Kel Elkins (USRA)
Scientists
- Dante Lauretta (The University of Arizona)
- Jason Dworkin (NASA/GSFC)
Producer
- Dan Gallagher (KBRwyle)
Missions
This visualization is related to the following missions:Series
This visualization can be found in the following series:Related pages
OSIRIS-REx Live Shots: NASA Will Make U.S. History Next Week Snagging Samples From An Asteroid For …
Oct. 14th, 2020
Read moreQuick link to the OSIRIS-REx team cheering after a successful TAG maneuver on Tuesday, Oct 20Quick link to B-ROLL for the live shotsClick here for OSIRIS-REx PRESS KITClick here for Latest releaseLatest release in Spanish.OSIRIS-REx poster COLLECTABLESWhy Bennu? 10 Reasons***NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is going Asteroid Hunting. Listen now to NASA's "Curious Universe" podcast that takes you inside the daring mission B-roll graphics NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is going Asteroid Hunting. Listen now to NASA's "Curious Universe" podcast that takes you inside the daring mission: to briefly reach out its mechanical arm and grab a sample from an asteroid’s surface. Dante Lauretta, Heather Enos, and Ron Mink introduce you to NASA’s asteroid hunter and what this sample return mission means for us here on Earth. The OSIRIS-REx team celebrates after a sucessful TAG maneuver on Tuesday, Oct 20. Location: Littleton, CO NASA’s First Asteroid Sample Return Mission Is Ready For TouchdownNext Week NASA Will Snag A Sample From An Ancient Relic Of Our Solar SystemNASA’s OSIRIS-REx Will Help Unlock The Secrets Of Our Solar System NASA’s first-ever sample return mission to an asteroid is about to make history. Next week, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will attempt to retrieve a sample from an asteroid named Bennu. Asteroids are remnants of the building blocks that formed the planets in our solar system, and perhaps enabled life on Earth. They contain natural resources such as water, organics and metals. Could carbon-rich asteroids have seeded our early Earth with the organic chemistry needed for life to develop? And they can be dangerous. Bennu has a 1:2700 chance of impacting Earth in the late 2100s, but this mission will also help us learn more about protecting ourselves if necessary. NASA experts are available virtually for live or taped interviews on October 20th from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. EDT - the morning of this historic maneuver - to tell your viewers how they can watch the event unfold, and what scientists hope to learn from this out-of-this-world sample from a nearby asteroid. ** NASA TV will begin live coverage beginning at 5:00 p.m. EDT on October 20th. The “Touch-And-Go,” or TAG, maneuver is scheduled for around 6:12 p.m. EDT. **In 2016, NASA launched OSIRIS-REx on an epic mission to capture a sample of an asteroid and bring it back to Earth. On the evening of October 20th, the spacecraft will descend to the boulder-strewn surface of Bennu to a site called Nightingale, where the spacecraft’s robotic sampling arm will attempt to snag a sample. There are more than a million known asteroids in our solar system, but Bennu is an ideal candidate for closer study because of its size, composition and proximity to Earth. Bennu is an artifact of the ancient solar system, a silent witness to the titanic events in our solar system’s 4.6 billion-year history. The spacecraft is scheduled to depart Bennu in 2021 and it will deliver the collected sample to Earth on Sep. 24, 2023. To Schedule an interview: Please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/uTgSr3r8LQr3nPt2A*Spanish Interviews are available*Interviews will be conducted using video chat programs including Skype in 15-minute slots. For example 600-615 ET, 615-630 EDT, etc. Satellite interviews are not available. Participating Scientists/Engineers:Jim Garvin / NASA Goddard Chief ScientistDanny Glavin / NASA ScientistJason Dworkin / NASA ScientistLucy Lim / NASA ScientistNayi Castro / NASA Engineer*Jose Aponte / NASA Scientist *Geronimo Villanueva / NASA Scientist * Location: Denver, COThomas Zurbuchen / Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate, NASA HeadquartersLori Glaze / Director, Planetary Science Mission Directorate, NASA HeadquartersMark Clampin / Director of Sciences and Exploration Directorate, NASA GoddardDante Lauretta / OSIRIS-REx Principal Investigator, University of ArizonaMichelle Thaller / NASA ScientistSuggested Questions: Later today, NASA’s first asteroid sample return mission, OSIRIS-REx, will attempt to collect a sample from an asteroid named Bennu, to bring back to Earth. Tell us what is going to happen today.How tricky is today’s maneuver to collect the sample?What happens if you’re not able to collect a sample today?There are a lot of asteroids in our solar system. Why was Bennu chosen?What can asteroids teach us about the origins of our solar system, and whether life might exist elsewhere?What are you most excited about learning from this mission?How can our viewers watch today’s event unfold, and stay up to date on the mission? Longer interview questions: OSIRIS-REx first launched in 2016 and arrived at Bennu in 2018. Why have scientists waited so long to actually obtain a sample? How is the spacecraft able to keep up with the asteroid?The spot on Bennu where the spacecraft will touch is named Nightingale. What is the reason behind choosing this location?Scientists originally thought Bennu would have a smooth surface, but it’s proven to be a very rocky and treacherous surface. Can you talk about some of the other surprising things you’ve learned about this asteroid?What can asteroids teach us about our place in the universe and whether life might exist in other solar systems?The Apollo astronauts brought back samples of the Moon that we’re still studying today. Can you talk about why sample return missions are so important to scientists and what future missions might explore?What will scientists do once the sample returns to Earth? Suggested Anchor Intro: IT’S GAME DAY FOR NASA.... LATER TODAY, NASA WILL MAKE HISTORY WHEN ITS OSIRIS-REX SPACECRAFT ATTEMPTS TOUCHDOWN FOR THE FIRST TIME TO COLLECT A SAMPLE FROM AN ASTEROID THAT WILL LATER RETURN TO EARTH. TODAY WE HAVE XXXX JOINING US FROM XX, XXX TO TALK ABOUT THIS EXCITING MISSION, HOW WE CAN WATCH THE EVENTS UNFOLD AND WHAT SCIENTISTS ARE HOPING TO LEARN. Related pages
Tour of Asteroid Bennu
Oct. 8th, 2020
Read moreTake a narrated tour of asteroid Bennu’s remarkable terrain. Complete transcript available.Universal Production Music: “Timelapse Clouds” by Andy Blythe and Marten Joustra; “The Wilderness” by Benjamin James Parsons; “Maps of Deception” by Idriss-El-Mehdi Bennani, Olivier Louis Perrot, and Philippe Andre VandenhendeWatch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel. When NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft arrived at asteroid Bennu in December 2018, its close-up images confirmed what mission planners had predicted nearly two decades before: Bennu is made of loose material weakly clumped together by gravity, and shaped like a spinning top. This major validation, however, was accompanied by a major surprise. Scientists had expected Bennu’s surface to consist of fine-grained material like a sandy beach, but were instead greeted by a rugged world littered with boulders – the size of cars, the size of houses, the size of football fields. Now, thanks to laser altimetry data and high-resolution imagery from OSIRIS-REx, we can take a tour of Bennu’s remarkable terrain. Unlock the secrets of asteroid Bennu.Data provided by NASA/University of Arizona/CSA/York University/Open University/MDA. For More InformationSee [NASA.gov](https://www.nasa.gov/osiris-rex) Related pages
Bennu Orbit Insertion
Dec. 31st, 2018
Read moreOn December 31, 2018, OSIRIS-REx completed its Preliminary Survey of asteroid Bennu and entered into orbit. Complete transcript available.Music provided by Killer Tracks: Pose dans la tess (instrumental), Ties that BindWatch this video on the OSIRIS-REx mission YouTube channel. On December 31, 2018, OSIRIS-REx completed its Preliminary Survey of asteroid Bennu and entered into orbit. Bennu measures only half a kilometer in diameter, making it the smallest world ever to be orbited by a spacecraft. OSIRIS-REx will spend the Orbital A phase learning to navigate in Bennu’s low gravity, which must be balanced against other small forces acting on the spacecraft (like solar radiation pressure), and it will transition from stellar navigation to landmark-based navigation. When OSIRIS-REx completes the Orbital A phase in March 2019, it will begin its Detailed Survey of Bennu. Learn more about Bennu orbit insertion. For More InformationSee [NASA.gov](https://www.nasa.gov/osiris-rex) Related pages
OSIRIS-REx Arrives at Bennu -- 2018 AGU Press Conference
Dec. 10th, 2018
Read moreThe following video presents the press conference that corresponds with the slides that appear below. This event took place live at 2pm EST on December 10, 2018 at the American Geophysical Union conference in Washington DC. Watch this video on YouTube. TAGSAM Banner ImageCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona This image shows an artist’s rendering of the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft collecting a sample of material from Bennu’s surface in 2023. 1. Grossman – New FrontiersCredit: NASA-HQ 2. Grossman – Planetary FleetCredit: NASA 3. Grossman – Planetary Fleet/Small Bodies MissionsCredit: NASA 4. Grossman – Small Bodies FleetCredit: NASA 5. Grossman – NASA Small-Body MissionsCredit: NASA/University of Arizona 1. Lauretta – Twelve-Image PolyCam Mosaic of BennuCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of ArizonaThis mosaic image of asteroid Bennu is composed of 12 PolyCam images collected on Dec. 2 by the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft from a range of 15 miles (24 km). The image was obtained at a 50° phase angle between the spacecraft, asteroid and the Sun, and in it, Bennu spans approximately 1,500 pixels in the camera’s field of view. 2. Lauretta – Mission Success CriteriaCredit: University of Arizona 3. Lauretta - OSIRIS-REx InstrumentsCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona 1. Simon – OVIRS and OTES OverviewCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona/Arizona State University 2. Simon – First OVIRS Spectrum of BennuCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona 3. Simon – Hydrated Mineral Feature on Bennu Near 2.7 MicronsCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona/NASA Johnson Space Center/K.H. Joy 4. Simon – OTES Spectrum of Bennu Compared to Meteorite SpectraCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona/NASA Johnson Space Center/K.H. Joy 5. Simon – Clay Mineral Formation and Hydration ProcessCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona 1. Nolan – Arecibo RadarCredit: Arecibo Observatory 2. Nolan – Comparing Arecibo Radar Data and Ground-Based Shape Model of BennuCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona/Arecibo Observatory 3. Nolan – Comparing PolyCam Imagery and Ground-Based Shape Model of BennuCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona 4. Nolan – Comparing PolyCam Imagery and Updated Preliminary Shape Model of BennuCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona 4. Lauretta – MapCam Red/Green/Blue (RGB) Composite Image of BennuCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona 5. Lauretta – Bennu Thermal Emission MapCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona 6. Lauretta – PolyCam Image of Bennu’s Surface Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of ArizonaOn Dec. 2, 2018, the PolyCam camera on NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft imaged Bennu from a range of 15 miles (24 km). This image is cropped to show one section of the asteroid. 7. Lauretta – PolyCam Image of Bennu’s Surface – Boulder Pile DetailCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of ArizonaOn Dec. 2, 2018, the PolyCam camera on NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft imaged Bennu from a range of 15 miles (24 km). This image is cropped to show one section of the asteroid, and an area containing a boulder pile, approximately 52 feet (16 m) in width, is circled. 8. Lauretta – PolyCam Image of Bennu’s Surface – Boulder Pile Detail MagnifiedCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of ArizonaOn Dec. 2, 2018, the PolyCam camera on NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft imaged Bennu from a range of 15 miles (24 km). This image is cropped and magnified to show an area containing a boulder pile approximately 52 feet (16 m) in width in detail. 9. Lauretta – PolyCam Image of Bennu’s Surface – 35-Meter Fractured Boulder DetailCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of ArizonaOn Dec. 2, 2018, the PolyCam camera on NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft imaged Bennu from a range of 15 miles (24 km). This image is cropped to show one section of the asteroid, and an area containing a fractured boulder approximately 115 feet (35 m) in width is circled. 10. Lauretta – PolyCam Image of Bennu’s Surface – 35-Meter Fractured Boulder Detail MagnifiedCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of ArizonaOn Dec. 2, 2018, the PolyCam camera on NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft imaged Bennu from a range of 15 miles (24 km). This image is cropped and magnified to show an area containing a fractured boulder approximately 115 feet (35 m) in width in detail. 11. Lauretta – PolyCam Image of Bennu’s Surface – 31-Meter Fractured Boulder DetailCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of ArizonaOn Dec. 2, 2018, the PolyCam camera on NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft imaged Bennu from a range of 15 miles (24 km). This image is cropped to show one section of the asteroid, and an area containing a fractured boulder approximately 102 feet (31 m) in width is circled. 12. Lauretta – PolyCam Image of Bennu’s Surface – 31-Meter Fractured Boulder Detail MagnifiedCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of ArizonaOn Dec. 2, 2018, the PolyCam camera on NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft imaged Bennu from a range of 15 miles (24 km). This image is cropped and magnified to show an area containing a fractured boulder approximately 102 feet (31 m) in width in detail. 13. Lauretta – PolyCam Image of Bennu’s Surface Containing 20-Meter CraterCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of ArizonaOn Dec. 2, 2018, the PolyCam camera on NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft imaged Bennu from a range of 15 miles (24 km). This image is cropped to show one section of the asteroid containing a crater (20 m) in width. 14. Lauretta – PolyCam Image of Bennu’s Surface Containing 20-Meter Crater DetailCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of ArizonaOn Dec. 2, 2018, the PolyCam camera on NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft imaged Bennu from a range of 15 miles (24 km). This image is cropped and a section of the asteroid containing a crater (20 m) in width is circled. 15. Lauretta – PolyCam Image of Bennu’s Surface Containing 20-Meter Crater Detail MagnifiedCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of ArizonaOn Dec. 2, 2018, the PolyCam camera on NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft imaged Bennu from a range of 15 miles (24 km). This image is cropped and magnified to show an area containing a crater (20 m) in width. 16. Lauretta – OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Operations TimelineCredit: University of Arizona 17. Lauretta – TAGSAM Test ImageCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of ArizonaThis image shows an artist’s rendering of the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft collecting a sample of material from Bennu’s surface in 2023. The inset photograph shows the OSIRIS-REx Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM) sampling head extended from the spacecraft at the end of the TAGSAM arm. The spacecraft’s SamCam camera captured the image on November 14, 2018 as part of a visual checkout of the TAGSAM system, which was developed by Lockheed Martin Space to acquire a sample of asteroid material in a low-gravity environment. The imaging was a rehearsal for a series of observations that will be taken at Bennu directly after sample collection. 18. Lauretta – Mission Science ObjectivesCredit: University of Arizona 19. Lauretta – Twelve-Image PolyCam Mosaic of BennuCredit: NASA/Goddard/University of ArizonaThis mosaic image of asteroid Bennu is composed of 12 PolyCam images collected on Dec. 2 by the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft from a range of 15 miles (24 km). The image was obtained at a 50° phase angle between the spacecraft, asteroid and the Sun, and in it, Bennu spans approximately 1,500 pixels in the camera’s field of view. NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission presented the science results gained during the spacecraft’s approach toward the asteroid Bennu at a press conference hosted during AGU’s Fall Meeting at 2 p.m. ET, Monday, Dec. 10.The Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft, which launched on Sept. 8, 2016, started asteroid science operations on Aug. 17, 2018, while still 1.4 million miles from the asteroid Bennu. Between that time and the spacecraft’s arrival at Bennu on Dec. 3, the mission made a number of discoveries about the asteroid. The mission represents a valuable opportunity to learn more about the origins of our solar system, the sources of water and organic molecules on Earth, and the hazards and resources in near-Earth space. The briefing participants are:Jeffrey Grossman, OSIRIS-REx program scientist at NASA HeadquartersDante Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal investigator at the University of Arizona, TucsonAmy Simon, OVIRS deputy instrument scientist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Michael Nolan, OSIRIS-REx science team chief at the University of Arizona, TucsonFor more information, go to nasa.gov/osiris-rex or asteroidmission.org. For More InformationSee [https://www.asteroidmission.org](https://www.asteroidmission.org) Related pages
Bennu Arrival
Dec. 3rd, 2018
Read moreThis video shows the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft’s view of Bennu during the final phase of its journey to the asteroid. From Aug. 17 through Nov. 27 the spacecraft’s PolyCam camera imaged Bennu almost daily as the spacecraft traveled 1.4 million miles (2.2 million km) toward the asteroid. The final images were obtained from a distance of around 40 miles (65 km). During this period, OSIRIS-REx completed four maneuvers slowing the spacecraft’s velocity from approximately 1,100 mph (491 m/sec) to 0.10 mph (0.04 m/sec) relative to Bennu, which resulted in the slower approach speed at the end of the video.Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona This series of images taken by the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft shows Bennu in one full rotation from a distance of around 50 miles (80 km). The spacecraft’s PolyCam camera obtained the thirty-six 2.2-millisecond frames over a period of four hours and 18 minutes.Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona After traveling through space for more than 2 years and over 2 billion kilometers, NASA’s Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft arrived at its destination, asteroid Bennu, on Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. The spacecraft will spend almost a year surveying the asteroid with five scientific instruments with the goal of selecting a location that is safe and scientifically interesting to collect the sample. OSIRIS-REx will return the sample to Earth in September 2023. For More InformationSee [NASA.gov](https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2018/osiris-rex-approach) Related pages
OSIRIS-REx Mission Arrives at Asteroid Bennu
Dec. 2nd, 2018
Read moreOSIRIS-REx mission team members capture the excitement of arriving at asteroid Bennu. Music provided by Killer Tracks: Distant Echoes, Game Show Sphere 9Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.Complete transcript available. Asteroids are the leftover building blocks of the solar system. These remnants from the dawn of planet formation may have delivered organics and water to early Earth, and could even hold clues to the origins of life. Now, a NASA mission called OSIRIS-REx has arrived at near-Earth asteroid Bennu. It will map and study the small body in great detail, and return a piece of Bennu to Earth in 2023. The discoveries of OSIRIS-REx will shed light on our solar system’s ancient history, and help pave the way for future exploration of other small bodies. For More InformationSee [NASA.gov](https://www.nasa.gov/osiris-rex) Related pages
A Web Around Asteroid Bennu – Visualizations
May 10th, 2021
Read moreThis visualization depicts the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft’s trajectory around the asteroid Bennu from the initial arrival in Dec 2018 through the final departure in April 2021. The trajectory is presented in a Sun Bennu North reference frame. Several mission segments are highlighted in white, leading up to the TAG sample collection maneuver on Oct 20, 2020. This is a single layer of the Web Around Bennu visualization that includes just the asteroid and the orbit lines with a transparent background. This is a single layer of the Web Around Bennu visualization that includes just the star background This is a single layer of the Web Around Bennu visualization that includes just dates The Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification Security - Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft arrived at near-Earth asteroid Bennu in December 2018. After studying the asteroid for nearly two years, the spacecraft successfully performed a Touch-And-Go (TAG) sample collection maneuver on October 20, 2020. The spacecraft will remain in asteroid Bennu’s vicinity until May 10, when the mission will enter its Return Cruise phase and begin its two-year journey back to Earth. This data visualization presents the mission’s complete trajectory during its time at Bennu. Related pages
OSIRIS-REx Mission Design: Cruise and Arrival Animations
Nov. 30th, 2018
Read moreOSIRIS-REx Cruise to Bennu Stellar Navigation Bennu Arrival Extended version Bennu Arrival After launching from Earth on September 8, 2016, OSIRIS-REx spent over two years on its outbound cruise to asteroid Bennu. The spacecraft approached the asteroid in August 2018 and captured its first images of Bennu using its long-range camera, PolyCam. OSIRIS-REx officially arrived at Bennu on December 3, 2018, and began studying the asteroid in preparation for sample collection in 2020. Related pages
OSIRIS-REx Mission Design: Site Selection Campaign
Nov. 30th, 2018
Read moreBaseball Diamond Left Baseball Diamond Right Equatorial Stations Global Mapping High Resolution Mapping Regolith Close up Spectral Mapping Once OSIRIS-REx has completed its Preliminary Survey of Bennu and entered orbit, it will be ready to study the asteroid in greater detail. Its observations will help mission planners to identify candidate sample sites on Bennu – areas where it is safe to collect a sample, and which are of interest to scientists. During this phase, OSIRIS-REx will: scan Bennu from pole-to-pole, globally map its surface, take high-resolution images, and study its spectra to determine the asteroid’s mineral composition. Related pages
OSIRIS-REx Earth Gravity Assist
Sept. 22nd, 2017
Read moreWhen OSIRIS-REx flies by Earth on September 22, 2017, it will use our planet's gravity as a slingshot to catch asteroid Bennu. Complete transcript available.Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.Music provided by Killer Tracks:"Origin" by Axel Tenner, Michael Schluecker, and Raphael Schalz OSIRIS-REx Earth gravity assist, Earth flyby. OSIRIS-REx Earth gravity assist, slew maneuver. OSIRIS-REx Earth gravity assist, instrument testing. OSIRIS-REx Earth gravity assist, after the flyby. OSIRIS-REx is NASA's mission to explore near-earth asteroid Bennu, collect a sample, and return it to Earth. To get to Bennu, however, OSIRIS-REx must first leave the plane of Earth's orbit and match the orbital tilt of its target. On September 22, 2017, OSIRIS-REx will approach Earth and fly over its southern hemisphere, passing within 11,000 miles of Antarctica. This gravitational slingshot will bend its trajectory by six degrees, sending the spacecraft on a path to intercept Bennu. Shortly after the flyby, OSIRIS-REx will look back at Earth and take images and spectra, ensuring that its instruments are ready for arrival at Bennu in 2018.Read more about the Earth gravity assist, or visit the NASA and University of Arizona mission websites. For More InformationSee [NASA.gov](https://www.nasa.gov/osiris-rex) Related pages
OSIRIS-REx orbits, maneuvers, and mapping
Oct. 3rd, 2016
Read moreOSIRIS-REx outbound orbit to asteroid Bennu, including an Earth-gravity assist approximately one year after launch. The gravity assist will adjust the spacecraft’s orbit, putting it in the same inclination as the orbit of Bennu. OSIRIS-REx performs an Earth Gravity Assist to enter Bennu's orbit plane. OSIRIS-REx outbound orbit to asteroid Bennu, with a top-down view of the Earth-gravity assist. OSIRIS-REx will approach Bennu in 2018. Upon arrival, the spacecraft will execute a series of maneuvers to study the asteroid. In this orientation, Bennu's North Pole points down. OSIRIS-REx will approach Bennu in 2018. Upon arrival, the spacecraft will execute a series of maneuvers to study the asteroid. In this orientation, Bennu's North Pole points up. OSIRIS-REx 'Baseball Diamond' scans OSIRIS-REx 'Baseball Diamond' scans with station labels fading over time OSIRIS-REx Equatorial Stations OSIRIS-REx Equatorial Stations with sun vector OSIRIS-REx transitions from Equatorial Stations to Orbital B OSIRIS-REx Orbit B precession over a two-month period. While in orbit around Bennu, OSIRIS-REx will study and map the asteroid's entire surface. OSIRIS-REx scans the surface of Bennu. Video available in both 30fps and 60fps formats. OSIRIS-REx scans one of several potential sample locations. OSIRIS-REx will perform a series of reconnaissance passes close to the asteroid. This visualization depicts a 225 meter pass. OSIRIS-REx will perform a series of reconnaissance passes close to the asteroid. This visualization depicts a 525 meter pass. OSIRIS-REx Checkpoint TAG rehearsal OSIRIS-REx Matchpoint TAG rehearsal After studying the asteroid for more than a year, OSIRIS-REx will briefly ‘tag’ the surface to collect a small sample, which it will return to Earth in 2023. OSIRIS-REx returns to Earth with its precious sample of asteroid Bennu. After releasing the sample return capsule, the spacecraft will go into orbit around the Sun. 8:3 aspect ratio version of outbound orbit 8:3 aspect ratio version of OSIRIS-REx arriving at Bennu 8:3 aspect ratio version of return orbit The Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification Security - Regolith Explorer spacecraft will travel to a near-Earth asteroid, called Bennu (formerly 1999 RQ36), and bring at least a 2.1-ounce sample back to Earth for study. The mission will help scientists investigate how planets formed and how life began, as well as improve our understanding of asteroids that could impact Earth.OSIRIS-REx launched on Sept. 8, 2016, at 7:05 p.m. EDT. As planned, the spacecraft will reach its target asteroid in 2018 and return a sample to Earth in 2023. These animations depict the journey of OSIRIS-REx to Bennu and back, including the complex maneuvers that the spacecraft will perform in the asteroid's low-gravity environment. The animations are presented in chronological order. For More InformationSee [http://www.nasa.gov/osiris-rex](http://www.nasa.gov/osiris-rex) Related pages
OSIRIS-REx Launch Footage
Sept. 8th, 2016
Read moreExcerpt of OSIRIS-REx launch coverage by NASA-TV. The unedited camera feeds from this broadcast are available below. Ground-level view of OSIRIS-REx lifting off from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral. OSIRIS-REx launch viewed from the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center. OSIRIS-REx launch viewed from the Vertical Integration Facility at SLC-41 on Cape Canaveral. OSIRIS-REx launch footage from the UCS-3 camera. OSIRIS-REx launch filmed from the NASA Causeway, between Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral. This view looks north along the Banana River toward SLC-41. Crowd gathered at Kennedy Space Center to watch OSIRIS-REx begin its journey. "Rocket Cam" view looking down the Atlas V 411 launch vehicle. The single solid rocket booster jettisons at 3:21 in the video. OSIRIS-REx launch footage from the UCS-3 tracker camera. OSIRIS-REx launch footage from the UCS-23 tracker camera. On September 8, 2016, NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft began its journey to near-Earth asteroid Bennu. Just as the sun began to set over Cape Canaveral, OSIRIS-REx made a picture-perfect liftoff at 7:05 pm EDT. It departed Space Launch Complex 41 aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 411 rocket, cheered on by crowds of mission personnel and space enthusiasts. The launch sent OSIRIS-REx on a seven-year journey to asteroid Bennu and back.An excerpt of the launch broadcast appears at the top of this page. Raw camera feeds from Cape Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center appear below. These clips are intended as a video editor's resource, and are available for download in their original DVCPRO HD format. Launch commentary is provided by KSC host Mike Curie.Learn more about OSIRIS-REx from NASA and the University of Arizona. For More InformationSee [NASA.gov](https://www.nasa.gov/osiris-rex) Related pages
OSIRIS-REx Launch and Deployment Animations
Aug. 17th, 2016
Read moreOSIRIS-REx's launch and Deployment movie. The animations for this video are listed below. Launch from Kennedy Space Center. Launch from Kennedy Space Center. Launch from Kennedy Space Center. Breaching through the clouds. Solid rocket booster separation. Main engine cutoff. Launch vehicle before Stage 1 separation. Main engine seperation Centaur engine ignites Fairing seperate from the Centaur OSIRIS-REx seperates from the Centaur. Solar panels deploy. OSIRIS-REx departs Earth. OSIRIS-REx begins its journey to near-Earth asteroid Bennu from Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral, aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. In addition to the launch vehicle's liquid-fueled main engine, its 411 configuration includes a strap-on solid rocket booster and a Centaur upper stage. When the launch window opens on the evening of September 8, 2016, the Atlas V will lift OSIRIS-REx above the Florida coastline and propel it eastward over the night side of Earth. Fifty-nine minutes later, OSIRIS-REx will separate from the Centaur upper stage, point its solar arrays at the rising sun, and embark on its nearly two-year cruise to Bennu. Related pages
OSIRIS-REx Resource Page
Aug. 17th, 2016
Read moreLarge format image of OSIRIS-REx before sampling Bennu. Bennu title sequence Bennu size comparision. This page contains graphics and animation resources related to near-Earth asteroid Bennu, the target of NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission. Related pages
OSIRIS-REx Mission Design: Sample Acquisition Campaign
Aug. 17th, 2016
Read moreOSIRIS-REx approaches Bennu TAG Arm Deploy TAG Arm Deploy Reverse OSIRIS-REx desending to Bennu OSIRIS-REx approach continued TAGSAM getting closer OSIRIS-REx almost there Contact OSIRIS-REx Pulls away TAG Maneuver Interior Cutaway OSIRIS-REx backs away from Bennu Sample Verification OCAMS SamCam Sample Verification OCAMS Sam Cam 2 Sample Mass Measurement Sample Stowage Sequence Sample Stowage Sequence Closeup OSIRIS-REx Stows the TAG Arm Returning to Earth After nine months in orbit around asteroid Bennu, OSIRIS-REx will begin the process of maneuvering closer to the surface in preparation of the sample collection event. Once the sample site has been selected, OSIRIS-REx will break from its polar orbit to practice three flyovers of the site at increasing proximities, eventually matching Bennu's speed and rotation. The narrow-angle PolyCam will image the sample site at sub-centimeter resolution during these close passes.When OSIRIS-REx is ready, it will slowly descend to Bennu's surface at a few centimeters per second. Its outstretched arm will touch down and blow high-pressure nitrogen gas into Bennu's soil. This will force loose dust, dirt, and rocks upward into the TAGSAM head, trapping the material inside. OSIRIS-REx will then weigh and stow the captured sample for return to Earth in 2023. Related pages
OSIRIS-REx Bennu Mapping Animations
Aug. 17th, 2016
Read moreEdited movie of mapping animations OSIRIS-REx arrival at Bennu. Bennu reveal. Detailed survey of Bennu. OSIRIS-REx mapping Bennu. OSIRIS-REx flying over Bennu OSIRIS-REx mapping Bennu OSIRIS-REx will spend over a year orbiting and mapping asteroid Bennu in preparation of the mission's main science goal – collecting a sample of Bennu for return to Earth in 2023. Related pages
OSIRIS-REx Mission Design: Earth Return Animations
Aug. 17th, 2016
Read moreOSIRIS-REx returns to Earth with its sample of asteroid Bennu. After releasing the sample return capsule on September 24, 2023, the spacecraft will go into orbit around the Sun.Watch this video on the NASA.gov Video YouTube channel. SRC arrives back at Earth SRC seperates from OSIRIS-REx SRC heading towards Earth SRC ReEntry Heading towards landing site Parachute deploys SRC desending Touchdown Transport Sample Open Capsule On September 24, 2023, OSIRIS-REx will return its sample of asteroid Bennu to Earth. The sample return capsule will detach from the spacecraft, perform an entry, descent and landing sequence, and touch down at the UTTR facility in Utah. The Bennu samples will be taken to Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas for curation, and will be studied by scientists around the world for decades to come. Related pages
OSIRIS-REx Cruise Animation
Aug. 17th, 2016
Read moreOSIRIS-REx makes its outbound cruise to asteroid Bennu. After leaving Earth in September 2016, OSIRIS-REx spent two years traveling to asteroid Bennu. In September 2017 it flew by Earth for a gravity assist, putting the spacecraft in the right orbital inclination to rendezvous with Bennu in December 2018. Related pages
Arrival at Bennu
March 18th, 2019
Read moreOSIRIS-REx arrived at Bennu for a close encounter of the asteroid kind. Explore why scientists are excited to study our solar system's early years at Bennu. Learn how scientists narrowed down the asteroid candidates for the OSIRIS-REx mission. One of the first mosaic images of Bennu put together from twelve images taken just 15 miles (24 km) away by OSIRIS-REx on Dec. 2, 2018. OSIRIS-REx will orbit Bennu for the first two years of its mission, taking detailed observations of its surface. For More InformationSee [solarsystem.nasa.gov](https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/517/why-bennu-10-reasons/) Related pages