Asteroid Sample Surprise: Bennu Holds the Solar System’s “Original Ingredients”
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission returned a sample from asteroid Bennu, revealing it contains key solar system materials and possible signs of a watery past. This discovery…
OSIRIS-REx News
OSIRIS-REx is a NASA asteroid study and sample-return mission that was launched in September 2016. The mission’s main objective is to travel to the near-Earth asteroid Bennu, survey the asteroid up close, collect surface material, and return the samples to Earth for analysis. Bennu is a carbon-rich asteroid, and studying its composition may provide insights into the early solar system and the origins of life on Earth. The spacecraft successfully collected samples from Bennu in October 2020 and returned to Earth with the samples in September 2023.
Surprising Findings in NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample: Could They Unlock the Origins of Life?
Analysis of a sample from asteroid Bennu found essential life components and hints of a watery past, offering insights into solar system origins and prebiotic…
Asteroid Heist of the Century: NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Mission Awarded Collier Trophy
The NASA OSIRIS-REx team received the prestigious Robert J. Collier Trophy for their historic mission of returning a sample from the asteroid Bennu. This achievement…
Asteroid Triumph: NASA’s History-Making OSIRIS-REx Mission Awarded Robert Goddard Memorial Trophy
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx team received the prestigious Goddard Memorial Trophy for its historic mission of collecting and returning an asteroid sample, aiding scientific research on the…
Unlocking the Building Blocks of Life With NASA’s Bennu Samples
Scientists now have access to detailed information on Bennu asteroid samples, enabling them to conduct research on these materials which may contain the building blocks…
From Fiery Perihelion to Asteroid Encounter, OSIRIS-APEX’s Epic Journey
NASA’s OSIRIS-APEX spacecraft successfully completed a close approach to the Sun, adjusting its solar array to protect against heat and is now en route to…
Beyond the Mission Goals: How NASA Surpassed Expectations With Asteroid Bennu
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft delivered an unprecedented 4.29 ounces of asteroid Bennu material to Earth, surpassing its mission goals. Despite initial challenges, the sample was successfully…
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Team Triumphs Over Fasteners – Gains Access to Remaining Asteroid Sample
NASA’s Johnson Space Center team overcame technical challenges to access more of the OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample, exceeding collection goals and setting the stage for a…
NASA’s Daring Mission To Intercept the “God of Chaos” Asteroid As It Closes In on Earth
The former OSIRIS-REx spacecraft sets off on a journey to study asteroid Apophis and take advantage of the asteroid’s 2029 flyby of Earth, the likes…
Rogue Drogue: NASA Decodes OSIRIS-REx’s Parachute Problem
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx successfully returned samples from Bennu, despite a minor parachute deployment issue caused by wiring label discrepancies. The main parachute compensated, ensuring a safe…
Encounter With Infamy: OSIRIS-APEX Mission Sets Sights on the Notorious Asteroid Apophis
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission learned much about the potentially hazardous asteroid Bennu and its risk to Earth. Now, the mission will change hands and target a…
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Surpasses Asteroid Sample Collection Goal
NASA successfully collected 70 grams from asteroid Bennu, surpassing their 60-gram goal. Despite challenges with extraction, more material awaits collection as the team ensures the…
3D Rock Stars: Stereoscopic Images From NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Sampling Head
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, while not initially intended for stereoscopic imaging, benefited from the expertise of Brian May and Claudia Manzoni, who utilized the mission’s vast…
Building Blocks of Life? NASA Reveals 4.5-Billion-Year-Old Asteroid Bennu Sample
NASA’s asteroid Bennu sample indicates high-carbon content and water, suggesting potential building blocks for life on Earth. This discovery, part of the OSIRIS-REx mission, will…
Deep Space Discoveries: NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Edges Closer to Monumental Asteroid Sample Reveal
As the astromaterials curation team at NASA’s Johnson Space Center continues to collect the bonus asteroid Bennu particles located outside the OSIRIS-REx TAGSAM (Touch-and-Go Sample…
See NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Spacecraft Release the Sample Return Capsule 63,000 Miles From Earth
After years of anticipation and hard work by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification and Security – Regolith Explorer) team, a capsule of rocks…
OSIRIS-REx’s Overflowing Treasures: A Stellar Surprise From Asteroid Bennu
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx sample collection from asteroid Bennu exceeded expectations in material quantity, slowing the curation process. Advanced analysis methods are underway, with a more detailed…
Asteroid Sample Returned to Earth by NASA May Reveal Clues to the Solar System’s Origins
Richard Binzel describes how asteroid dirt and dust delivered by OSIRIS-Rex, with help from MIT, may reveal clues to the solar system’s origins. On the…