On September 17, NASA performed a fine-tuning operation on the flight path of its OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, aiming to optimize the landing area for the sample capsule slated for Earth return on September 24. This recalibration, an eastward displacement of approximately 8 miles, ensures the capsule’s targeted descent within the Utah Test and Training Range, a facility operated by the U.S. Department of Defense. Source: NASA
The OSIRIS-REx vehicle activated its thrusters to modify its Earth-approaching path with the intention of refining the projected landing spot of its sample capsule within the Utah Test and Training Range, as coordinated by the Department of Defense, for the specified date of September 24.
On the aforementioned date of September 17, the engineering team overseeing NASA’s OSIRIS-REx slightly altered the spacecraft’s orbital path. This alteration aimed at further specifying the Earth landing point for the sample capsule, set for Earth delivery on September 24. The spacecraft briefly engaged its thrusters to modify its speed relative to Earth by 7 inches per minute (or 3 millimeters per second).
This ultimate navigational adjustment shifted the anticipated landing point of the sample capsule eastward by nearly 8 miles (or 12.5 kilometers), targeting the center of a predetermined 36-mile by 8.5-mile (or 58-kilometer by 14-kilometer) area within the Defense Department’s Utah Test and Training Range.
Accompanying visual aids illustrate the Earth-return trajectory for both the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft and its sample capsule, following the capsule’s Earth release scheduled for September 24. Yellow diamond markers indicate dates of spacecraft maneuvers subtly fine-tuning its path for Earth proximity and eventual re-entry. Source: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
The adjustment executed on Sunday acted as a slight modification to a crucial maneuver carried out on September 10, setting the spacecraft on its predetermined course for releasing the sample capsule—comprised of asteroid Bennu rocks and dust—from a distance of 63,000 miles (or 102,000 kilometers) above Earth’s atmosphere during the upcoming weekend.
The spacecraft is currently situated approximately 1.8 million miles (or 2.8 million kilometers) away from Earth, advancing at a speed of roughly 14,000 mph (or 23,000 kph).
OSIRIS-REx signifies NASA’s inaugural mission for returning asteroid samples. It was launched in September 2016 with the objective of exploring Bennu, a near-Earth asteroid. The mission’s climactic phase is scheduled for September 24, 2023, when a capsule bearing samples from Bennu will descend within Utah’s West Desert. Source: NASA
Initiated from Cape Canaveral on September 8, 2016, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft commenced its expedition to the proximate asteroid Bennu and arrived at its destination on December 3, 2018, after more than two years in space.
Upon reaching Bennu, OSIRIS-REx entered an extensive phase of detailed topographical analysis, enabling researchers to comprehend the asteroid’s landscape and subsequently select an optimal site for sample retrieval. The spacecraft executed a high-stakes “Touch-And-Go” (TAG) operation on October 20, 2020, briefly making contact with the asteroid to acquire samples. This pivotal procedure garnered an estimated 8.8 ounces of asteroid material, which will represent the first U.S. asteroid sample when it returns.
After nearly half a decade in outer space, OSIRIS-REx commenced its Earth-bound journey on May 10, 2021, by activating its primary thrusters for a seven-minute duration. This propulsion maneuver set it on course for Earth, conveying its valuable assemblage of Bennu-origin rocks and dust. The long-anticipated sample is expected to make landfall on Earth come September 24.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about OSIRIS-REx Final Trajectory Adjustment
What was the purpose of NASA’s latest trajectory adjustment for the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft?
The purpose of the trajectory adjustment was to fine-tune the landing area for the sample capsule that is due to return to Earth on September 24. The modification ensures that the capsule will descend into its designated landing zone within the U.S. Department of Defense’s Utah Test and Training Range.
What date was the final trajectory adjustment made?
The final trajectory adjustment was made on September 17.
What specific changes were made to the trajectory of OSIRIS-REx?
The spacecraft’s trajectory was slightly altered to refine the landing location of its sample capsule. Specifically, the adjustment shifted the predicted landing location eastward by nearly 8 miles (or 12.5 kilometers) to the center of a predetermined area within the Utah Test and Training Range.
How did the spacecraft make this adjustment?
The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft briefly fired its thrusters to change its velocity relative to Earth by 7 inches per minute (or 3 millimeters per second).
What is the significance of the Utah Test and Training Range in this mission?
The Utah Test and Training Range is the designated landing zone for the sample capsule. It is a facility operated by the U.S. Department of Defense and has been selected as the landing area for this mission.
What is contained within the sample capsule?
The sample capsule contains rocks and dust collected from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu.
When did OSIRIS-REx launch and what has been its mission?
OSIRIS-REx was launched on September 8, 2016, with the objective of exploring the near-Earth asteroid Bennu. The spacecraft spent over two years reaching Bennu and subsequently underwent detailed mapping and sample collection before initiating its return to Earth.
When is the sample capsule expected to land on Earth?
The sample capsule is expected to land on Earth on September 24, 2023.
What will happen to the samples after they return to Earth?
While the text does not specify the fate of the samples, they are likely to undergo rigorous analysis to understand the composition and other characteristics of the asteroid material.
How far is the spacecraft from Earth as it approaches for sample delivery?
As of the most recent information, the spacecraft is approximately 1.8 million miles (or 2.8 million kilometers) away from Earth, advancing at a speed of about 14,000 mph (or 23,000 kph).
More about OSIRIS-REx Final Trajectory Adjustment
- NASA’s Official OSIRIS-REx Mission Page
- Utah Test and Training Range Information
- Overview of Asteroid Bennu
- NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
- Spacecraft Maneuvering and Trajectory Design
- Asteroid Sample Return Missions
- Details on Spacecraft Thrusters
- OSIRIS-REx Touch-And-Go (TAG) Maneuver
- Asteroid Exploration and Sample Collection
