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A Journey of a Billion Miles: OSIRIS-REx’s Return Home Carrying Extraterrestrial Specimens
In October 2020, the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft acquired a sample weighing approximately half a pound from asteroid Bennu’s surface. The sample return capsule, equipped with a parachute, is slated to touch down on September 24 at the Utah Test and Training Range, an installation of the Department of Defense situated in the desert near Salt Lake City. Photo Credit: NASA/Keegan Barber.
This September, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is scheduled to dispatch a capsule containing an asteroid sample back to Earth, targeting a landing zone in the Great Salt Lake Desert. Specialized teams are prepared to mitigate any challenges encountered during the descent and retrieval of the capsule.
The spacecraft, having journeyed billions of miles through the solar system, will fly by Earth to release a capsule roughly the size of a mini-refrigerator. Inside this capsule is a primordial rock sample obtained from an asteroid situated between the Earth and Mars orbits.
The mission, OSIRIS-REx—standing for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security–Regolith Explorer—is the United States’ inaugural endeavor to collect samples from an asteroid. Researchers anticipate that the nearly half-pound of pristine asteroid material will offer insights into the solar system’s formation 4.5 billion years ago.
Addressing Entry Challenges and Preparations
Before the sample can safely reach Earth, its protective capsule will have to endure temperatures twice as scorching as molten lava, as well as velocities second only to the fastest ever recorded for a man-made object entering Earth’s atmosphere. Despite varying weather conditions, the capsule is programmed to land in the Great Salt Lake Desert, an environment notorious for its extreme heat and salt flats.
A group of scientists and meteorologists will be diligently monitoring weather conditions that could potentially affect the capsule’s recovery.
OSIRIS-REx was launched in September 2016 with the objective of exploring Bennu, a near-Earth asteroid. The mission will culminate on September 24, 2023, when the sample-containing capsule descends into Utah’s West Desert. Photo Credit: NASA.
“Before the mission was launched seven years ago, the capsule was designed to withstand all anticipated weather conditions in Utah for the month of September,” stated Eric Queen, a research engineer associated with NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia.
Mark Johnson, heading the Entry, Descent and Landing analysis at Lockheed Martin, noted that wind conditions could influence the landing site within the 36-mile by 8.5-mile target area at the Utah Test and Training Range, southwest of Salt Lake City.
Desert Conditions and Anticipatory Measures
Designated as a “controlled, safe area,” the landing range has been used in past missions, thereby carrying some historical significance. Recovery teams have been engaging in field exercises to prepare for the capsule’s retrieval.
Weather conditions on the ground are also a consideration; the late summer season can bring monsoons, turning the ground into mud similar to wet cement, posing challenges for off-road vehicles involved in the retrieval of the capsule.
Weather balloons will be launched in the lead-up to the landing, providing data on various atmospheric conditions to estimate the capsule’s likely landing zone.
Unfolding of the Final Phase
The final stage of the capsule’s odyssey will commence when it detaches from the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft and enters Earth’s atmosphere a few hours later over the West Coast. Utilizing a heat shield comprised of a lightweight ablative material, the capsule, weighing roughly 100 pounds, will endure hypersonic speeds during its descent.
Multiple tracking systems and aircraft will monitor the capsule as it races eastward on the morning of September 24. Upon reaching the Utah Test and Training Range, it will deploy its parachutes to slow its descent and facilitate a soft landing.
Following its retrieval, the sample will be transferred to Johnson Space Center’s specialized laboratory for preservation and analysis. Lessons gleaned from this historic landing will also be applied to future space missions.
“There is no unusual forecast, but the attention this mission will garner is certainly higher than usual,” observed Eric Nelson, a U.S. Army meteorologist involved in the mission.
Management of the OSIRIS-REx mission is overseen by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, with Dante Lauretta of the University of Arizona serving as the principal investigator. Lockheed Martin Space built the spacecraft and handles flight operations. Curation and sample processing will be undertaken at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The mission has also benefited from international collaboration, involving agencies like the Canadian Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. OSIRIS-REx is the third mission in NASA’s New Frontiers Program, supervised by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about OSIRIS-REx mission
What is the OSIRIS-REx mission?
The OSIRIS-REx mission is NASA’s first asteroid sample return endeavor. Launched in September 2016, the spacecraft aims to bring back a sample from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu.
When is the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft expected to return to Earth?
The spacecraft is slated to return to Earth on September 24, 2023. It will land in the Great Salt Lake Desert in Utah.
Where will the sample return capsule land?
The sample return capsule is targeted to land at the Department of Defense’s Utah Test and Training Range, located in the desert outside Salt Lake City.
What kind of sample has OSIRIS-REx collected?
The spacecraft collected about a half-pound sample from the surface of asteroid Bennu in October 2020. This sample consists of rubble and dust from the asteroid’s surface.
What are the scientific goals of this mission?
Scientists hope that the material collected from asteroid Bennu will offer insights into the conditions present 4.5 billion years ago when the Sun and planets were forming.
What challenges are expected during the capsule’s descent and recovery?
The capsule will encounter extreme conditions including temperatures twice as hot as lava and entry into Earth’s atmosphere at around 36 times the speed of sound. Weather conditions like wind and rain could also pose challenges.
Who is involved in the mission’s operations and planning?
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center provides overall mission management. The spacecraft was built by Lockheed Martin Space, and the University of Arizona leads the science team. Other partners include the Canadian Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.
How is the mission preparing for various landing conditions?
Teams of scientists and meteorologists will be monitoring the weather. The capsule has been designed to be resistant to extreme conditions such as lightning and ice, and preparations are being made to deal with winds and other weather factors.
What will happen to the sample after it is returned?
Once recovered, the sample will be moved to a specialized laboratory at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, where it will be preserved and analyzed.
Is this mission a part of any larger NASA program?
Yes, OSIRIS-REx is the third mission in NASA’s New Frontiers Program, which is managed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
More about OSIRIS-REx mission
- NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Mission Overview
- Asteroid Bennu Facts
- Department of Defense’s Utah Test and Training Range
- NASA’s New Frontiers Program
- NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
- University of Arizona’s Role in OSIRIS-REx
- Lockheed Martin Space
- Canadian Space Agency’s Involvement
- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Collaboration
- NASA’s Johnson Space Center
10 comments
I’m amazed how far we’ve come in space exploration. but kinda curious, what happens if they miss the landing spot in Utah? Seems risky.
All this tech and resources for half a pound of space rock? I hope it’s worth it.
Wow, this is like straight out of a sci-fi movie! Cant believe we’re retrieving actual samples from asteroids. Future is here!
The technical details are insane. From hypersonic speeds to temperatures hotter than lava, this mission’s got everything.
They talk about the spacecraft’s capsule landing, but what about the environmental impact of such missions? just asking.
Anyone else nervous about the weather affecting the landing? says a lot that winds are a big concern.
This is the stuff that makes you believe humanity might just have a future among the stars. Keep pushing the boundaries, NASA.
The article mentioned Stardust mission as a heritage. Would love to know more about that. it’s amazing how these missions build on each other.
The weather balloons going up to 60,000 feet for data? That’s some next-level preparation!
I can’t wait for the sample to get back! Think of all the science that’ll come out of it. Its like a window to the origins of our solar system.