NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft prepares for final asteroid-sampling rehearsal

OSIRIS-REx is anticipated to net a sample from asteroid Bennu on Oct. 20. This artist’s conception reveals the trajectory and configuration of the spacecraft one day of its matchpoint rehearsal.

(Image: © NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona)

NASA’s OSIRIS-Rex spacecraft is making ready for its final rehearsal before touching down on asteroid Bennu this drop to snag a chunk of dwelling rock. 

OSIRIS-REx, which has been orbiting Bennu since 2018, is NASA’s first asteroid-sampling spacecraft. The probe is scheduled to appear at its landing sequence for a 2d time on Tuesday, Aug. 11. 

All throughout the be aware session, the spacecraft will rehearse the contact-and-scramble sample-series match, such as the mission’s April 14 checkpoint rehearsal, which practiced the principle two maneuvers of the descent. Nonetheless this time, the spacecraft will add a third maneuver, called the matchpoint burn, and cruise closer to the sample station, identified as Nightingale, than it has before. 

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As piece of the matchpoint burn, OSIRIS-REx will cruise in tandem with Bennu’s rotation for the principle time. This rehearsal affords the crew with one more opportunity to appear at navigating the spacecraft throughout the descent maneuvers, to boot as to verify the spacecraft’s imaging, navigation and ranging systems, based mostly completely on a assertion from NASA. 

All throughout the Aug. 11 rehearsal, the $800 million OSIRIS-REx (Origins-Spectral Interpretation-Resource Identification-Security-Regolith Explorer) mission will kind several diverse actions. Traveling at an life like accelerate of 0.2 mph (0.3 kph), the spacecraft will fire its thrusters three separate times one day of its decent to the asteroid’s surface. The first will pull the spacecraft out of its 0.6-mile-high (1 kilometer) orbit around Bennu. 

Diversified milestones in the rehearsal comprise extending the spacecraft’s robotic sampling arm, collecting shots for its self sustaining navigation machine, and transferring its photo voltaic panels into station away from the asteroid’s surface.

When OSIRIS-REx reaches an altitude of 410 toes (125 meters), this could kind the checkpoint burn and drop rapidly toward Bennu’s surface for about eight minutes. When the spacecraft is 164 toes (50 m) above the asteroid, this could fire its thrusters a third time to kind the matchpoint burn, slowing its rate of descent and aligning with Bennu’s rotation. 

OSIRIS-REx will attain an altitude of handiest 131 toes (40 m) above the sample station — its closest procedure yet — before heading relief to orbit with a relief-away burn, based mostly completely on the assertion.

Assuming the rehearsal goes smoothly, OSIRIS-REx will live in its orbit around Bennu until it travels all of the style to the asteroid’s surface one day of its first sample series try on Oct. 20. The samples are expected to be returned to Earth on Sept. 24, 2023.

Be aware Samantha Mathewson @Sam_Ashley13. Be aware us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.