GMS: OSIRIS-REx Arrives at Bennu -- 2018 AGU Press Conference

The 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 Image

Credit: 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 Frontiers

Credit: NASA-HQ

2. Grossman – Planetary Fleet

Credit: NASA

3. Grossman – Planetary Fleet/Small Bodies Missions

Credit: NASA

4. Grossman – Small Bodies Fleet

Credit: NASA

5. Grossman – NASA Small-Body Missions

Credit: NASA/University of Arizona

1. Lauretta – Twelve-Image PolyCam Mosaic of Bennu

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

This 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 Criteria

Credit: University of Arizona

3. Lauretta - OSIRIS-REx Instruments

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

1. Simon – OVIRS and OTES Overview

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona/Arizona State University

2. Simon – First OVIRS Spectrum of Bennu

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

3. Simon – Hydrated Mineral Feature on Bennu Near 2.7 Microns

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona/NASA Johnson Space Center/K.H. Joy

4. Simon – OTES Spectrum of Bennu Compared to Meteorite Spectra

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona/NASA Johnson Space Center/K.H. Joy

5. Simon – Clay Mineral Formation and Hydration Process

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

1. Nolan – Arecibo Radar

Credit: Arecibo Observatory

2. Nolan – Comparing Arecibo Radar Data and Ground-Based Shape Model of Bennu

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona/Arecibo Observatory

3. Nolan – Comparing PolyCam Imagery and Ground-Based Shape Model of Bennu

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

4. Nolan – Comparing PolyCam Imagery and Updated Preliminary Shape Model of Bennu

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

4. Lauretta – MapCam Red/Green/Blue (RGB) Composite Image of Bennu

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

5. Lauretta – Bennu Thermal Emission Map

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

6. Lauretta – PolyCam Image of Bennu’s Surface

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

On 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 Detail

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

On 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 Magnified

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

On 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 Detail

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

On 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 Magnified

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

On 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 Detail

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

On 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 Magnified

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

On 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 Crater

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

On 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 Detail

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

On 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 Magnified

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

On 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 Timeline

Credit: University of Arizona

17. Lauretta – TAGSAM Test Image

Credit: 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. 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 Objectives

Credit: University of Arizona

19. Lauretta – Twelve-Image PolyCam Mosaic of Bennu

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

This 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.