As its primary parachute unfurls, the sample container is portrayed descending gradually towards the Utah desert. Image Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/CI Lab
As the spacecraft alters its course away from Earth, proceeding toward its next objective, the attention of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx team is fixated on the sample capsule.
Members of the OSIRIS-REx crew and military retrieval units are on standby aboard four helicopters and in two reserve terrestrial vehicles. They are positioned near the predetermined landing site within the Department of Defense’s Utah Test and Training Range. They are prepared to move rapidly to the capsule once it makes contact with the ground. However, the retrieval strategy does permit a 40-hour window to identify the capsule’s location. The team aspires to promptly transport the capsule to a temporary sterile environment on the range to safeguard it against Earth-based contaminants.
The capsule, due to its small dimensions—roughly equivalent to a large automotive tire—will not be discernible to the unaided eye during its descent and landing. This is further exacerbated by the fact that it will land during daylight in an area generally inaccessible to the public.
The capsule lacks onboard location sensors, thus the team will depend on aerial and ground-based apparatus to monitor its descent. Infrared devices should be capable of detecting the capsule’s thermal footprint while it is still at high altitude. This thermal emission is a result of the capsule’s rapid interaction with Earth’s atmosphere; the atmospheric compression will generate sufficient energy to encase the capsule in an extremely heated fireball. Nonetheless, the sample will remain unharmed due to a heat shield that regulates the capsule’s internal temperature, maintaining it below 167 degrees Fahrenheit, akin to the surface conditions of Bennu.
Both radar and optical equipment will also be utilized to monitor the capsule’s descent. Once the capsule attains a low enough altitude to become observable to an optical camera on a NASA H135 helicopter, the helicopter will broadcast real-time footage of the capsule’s concluding descent and touchdown via NASA TV and the organization’s website.
Upon the capsule’s touchdown, which is anticipated around 10:55 a.m. EDT (8:55 a.m. MDT), radar equipment will deliver its coordinates, thereby prompting the recovery team to advance toward the landing site.
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Overview of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Mission
Initiated to investigate and obtain samples from asteroid Bennu, a celestial body in proximity to Earth, the OSIRIS-REx mission was launched in September 2016 and reached Bennu in December 2018. In the ensuing months, the spacecraft undertook comprehensive observation and mapping activities to pinpoint an optimal location for sample extraction. In October 2020, OSIRIS-REx accomplished a successful landing on the asteroid’s surface and obtained a sample through its Touch-And-Go (TAG) technique. The paramount objective of the mission is to safely return this sample to Earth for exhaustive study, thereby enhancing our understanding of the early solar system and potentially offering clues about the origins of life. The anticipated arrival of the sample return capsule on Earth is imminent.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about OSIRIS-REx sample retrieval
What is the main focus of the OSIRIS-REx mission?
The primary objective of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission is to study and collect samples from asteroid Bennu, a near-Earth object. The mission aims to return these samples to Earth for extensive analysis, which could offer valuable insights into the early solar system and potentially the origins of life.
Where is the OSIRIS-REx sample capsule expected to land?
The OSIRIS-REx sample capsule is expected to land in the Utah desert, specifically within the Department of Defense’s Utah Test and Training Range.
How will the sample capsule be retrieved once it lands?
A team consisting of OSIRIS-REx and military recovery members will be on standby near the designated landing area. They are prepared to move quickly to the capsule to secure it and transport it to a temporary clean room to prevent contamination.
Why won’t the capsule be visible to the naked eye during its descent?
The capsule is relatively small, about the size of a large truck tire, and it will be descending during daylight hours. Additionally, the area of the landing is generally inaccessible to the public.
What instruments will be used to track the capsule’s descent?
The capsule will be tracked using aircraft, ground instruments, infrared devices, radar, and optical equipment. An optical camera aboard a NASA H135 helicopter will provide live footage of the capsule’s final moments before it lands.
What precautions are taken to protect the sample from Earth’s environment?
The team aims to transport the capsule to a temporary sterile environment on the range as soon as possible to protect it from contamination. The capsule itself is also equipped with a heat shield that regulates its internal temperature, keeping the sample below 167 degrees Fahrenheit.
What is the timeline for the capsule’s landing and retrieval?
The capsule is expected to land at around 10:55 a.m. EDT (8:55 a.m. MDT). Radar instruments will then provide its coordinates, triggering the recovery team to head to the landing location. The recovery plan allows for a 40-hour window to locate and secure the capsule.
What insights is the mission expected to provide?
The OSIRIS-REx mission aims to shed light on the early solar system and may also provide clues about the origins of life through the comprehensive analysis of the returned sample from asteroid Bennu.
More about OSIRIS-REx sample retrieval
- NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Mission Overview
- Utah Test and Training Range Information
- Asteroid Bennu Facts and Findings
- Infrared Devices in Space Exploration
- Touch-And-Go (TAG) Maneuver
- Earth’s Atmosphere and Space Missions
- Live Coverage on NASA TV
- Origins of Life Theories
8 comments
A billion miles! Just think about it for a sec… How far we’ve come is incredible. This is history in the making ppl.
so they have a 40-hour window to find the capsule? Sounds like a movie script to me, high stakes and all!
The attention to detail is amazing. From the heat shield to the recovery team’s prep, NASA really thought of everything. Kinda makes you proud to be human.
With all the investment into space tech, I’m really hoping we’ll see some valuable return soon. Material from Bennu could be a goldmine for research and industry.
Back in my day, we were thrilled about moon landings. Now they’re collecting asteroid samples? How times have changed!
hope they make sure the capsule is eco-friendly. Last thing we need is more space debris ruining the environment.
Wow, this is mind-blowing! Cant believe they’ve come this far in space exploration. Whats next, colonies on Mars? lol
Reading this gave me goosebumps. The possibilities for what this sample might reveal are endless. Truly a monumental moment in the field of astronomy and space exploration.