Planets and Moons ID: 11092

Name That Asteroid!

Released on September 4, 2012

The OSIRIS-REx mission is going to an asteroid to collect and return a sample to Earth. OSIRIS-REx will launch in 2016, visit the asteroid from 2018 to 2021, and return a sample to Earth in 2023. Scientists will study the asteroid’s orbit, composition, and characteristics to answer questions about the early solar system, the building blocks of life, and potential impact hazards. Instead of traveling to (101955) 1999 RQ36, the asteroid’s provisional designation, we’re asking for help to find a new name. The Planetary Society, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, and the discovers at MIT’s Lincoln Lab will recommend selected names to the International Astronomical Union for selection.

Contestants must choose a name, explain their choice, and submit the application on the Planetary Society website.

The contest starts Tuesday, September 4, 2012. The deadline is Sunday, December 2, 2012.

For contest rules, guidelines, and application visit: www.planetary.org/name

Credits

Chris Smith (HTSI): Video Editor
Chris Smith (HTSI): Producer
Ryan Fitzgibbons (KBR Wyle Services, LLC): Lead Actor
Dante Lauretta (The University of Arizona): Scientist
Chris Smith (HTSI): Videographer
Rob Andreoli (Advocates in Manpower Management, Inc.): Videographer
Chris Smith (HTSI): Writer

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

Short URL to share this page:
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/11092

Mission:
OSIRIS-REX

This item is part of this series:
Narrated Movies

Goddard TV Tape:
G2012-093 -- Name That Asteroid!

Keywords:
SVS >> Asteroid
SVS >> HDTV
SVS >> Music
SVS >> Edited Feature
SVS >> Promo
DLESE >> Narrated
SVS >> OSIRIS-REx
NASA Science >> Planets and Moons