>> HELLO.
WELCOME TO NASA SCIENCE LIVE.
YOUR CHANCE TO GO BEHIND THE
SCENES AND GET YOUR QUESTIONS
ANSWERED.
I'M YOUR HOST.
TODAY WE ARE HERE AT THE AMERICA
GEOPHYSICAL CONFERENCE, ONE OF
THE LARGEST IN THE WORLD.
PEOPLE ARE PRESENTING PAPERS ON
ALL TYPES OF SUBJECTS.
WE ARE GOING TO LEARN ABOUT
OSIRIS-REx.
WE WANT YOU TO ASK YOUR
QUESTIONS TO OUR NASA EXPERTS.
I'M GOING TO HEAD TO THE NASA
BOOTH TO MEET THOSE EXPERTS.
FIRST, WATCH THIS VIDEO ABOUT
OSIRIS-REx.
>> IN FLORIDA, OSIRIS-REx
BEGAN ITS JOURNEY.
NASA'S MOST AMBITIOUS SAMPLE
COLLECTION ATTEMPT.
AFTER TWO YEARS, INCLUDING A
GRAVITY ASSIST FROM EARTH, THIS
SPACECRAFT ARRIVED AT ITS
DESTINATION, ASTEROID BENNU.
AS IT DREW NEAR, BENNU GREW FROM
A FEW TINY PIXELS TO A RUGGED
WORLD.
THE SPACECRAFT HAS USED ITS
INSTRUMENTATION TO MAP IT ON ALL
SIDES.
THE MISSION TEAM HAS BEEN
ANALYZING THE DATA, SCOURING TO
SELECT THE BEST SAMPLE SITE.
NOW, WITH JUST MONTHS TO GO
BEFORE SAMPLE COLLECTION, THE
TEAM HAS NARROWED ITS TARGET
DOWN TO FOUR POTENTIAL SITES.
>> HELLO AND THANK YOU FOR
JOINING US IN THE BOOTH HERE AT
AGU, THE AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL
UNION FOR THIS SPECIAL EDITION
OF NASA SCIENCE LIVE.
TODAY WE HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT
FROM THE OSIRIS-REx MISSION.
OSIRIS-REx IS THE FIRST
MISSION TO RETRIEVE A SAMPLE AND
RETURN TO EARTH.
THE MAKEUP OF BENNU, THE
ASTEROID, COULD BE AS OLD AS THE
SOLAR SYSTEM ITSELF.
DIEING PARTICLES FROM STARS
COULD HAVE FORMED THE PLANETS
AND OUR OWN SUN.
NOW WE'LL GET A SAMPLE AND
RETURN IT TO EARTH.
WE'LL FIND OUT FROM WHERE TODAY.
WE'LL GET UPWARDS OF 30 SUGAR
PACKET SAMPLES WORTH.
I'M PLEASED TO HAVE SOME MISSION
TEAM MEMBERS.
PLEASE LET ME WELCOME DANI
DellaGIUSTINA AND MIKE MOREAU.
THE BIG QUESTION IS WHY, WHY DO
WE WANT TO STUDY BENNU.
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I'M EXCITED TO TALK ABOUT BENNU
AND THE MISSION AHEAD OF THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT.
BENNU IS A NEAR-EARTH ASTEROID.
ITS ORBIT IS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY
TO OUR OWN PLANET.
IT WAS ACCESSIBLE TO SEND A
SPACECRAFT.
BECAUSE OF IT'S PROXIMITY, IT'S
A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS OBJECT.
BY FLYING IN FORMATION WITH
BENNU FOR TWO YEARS, WE'LL GET A
BETTER SENSE OF BENNU'S ORBIT
AND PREDICT WHETHER IT IS A
HAZARD IN THE COMING CENTURIES
AND DECADES.
BENNU IS COMPOSED OF
WATER-BEARING MINERALS.
THERE IS INDICATIONS IT MIGHT
HAVE ORGANICS AS WELL.
WE THINK IT LOOKS LIKE THE
OBJECT THAT MIGHT HAVE DELIVERED
THE PRECURSORS TO LIFE TO EARLY
EARTH.
IT'S SCIENTIFICALLY EXCITING TO
BE IN ORBIT AROUND THIS SURFACE.
>> WOW.
I CAN'T WAIT TO FIND OUT MORE
ABOUT IT.
I KNOW THERE IS A LOT OF
SURPRISES.
>> ONE OF THE BIGGEST SURPRISES
WHEN WE SAW WHAT BENNU LOOKED
LIKE IS WHAT'S ON THE SCREEN
HERE.
IT'S COVERED WITH ROCKS.
SO ON THE TABLE NEXT TO DANI IS
A MODEL THAT WAS CREATED AND
BENNU MET OUR EXPECTATIONS IN
ITS GENERAL SHAPE, SPIN AXIS AND
MASS.
AND IT'S DRAMATIC SURFACE WAS A
BIG SURPRISE.
THAT CAUSED US TO RE-EVALUATE
THE PROCESS FOR SITE SELECTION
AND MAKE NEW IMPROVEMENTS TO THE
CAPABILITY OF THE SPACECRAFT SO
WE COULD GO DOWN TO THE SURFACE
OF THIS ASTEROID.
>> WOW.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT MORE
LATER, TOO.
TELL US WHAT BENNU CAN TELL US
ABOUT OTHER ASTEROIDS IN
GENERAL.
I KNOW THERE IS A LOT OUT THERE.
>> BENNU CAN TELL US ABOUT OTHER
ASTEROIDS IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.
SOMETHING THAT STICKS OUT IS WE
DISCOVERED ITS AN ACTIVE
ASTEROID.
THERE IS MASS THAT IS ACTIVELY
BEING EJECTED FROM THE SURFACE
OF BENNU.
WE HAVE SEEN SIMILAR ACTIVITY ON
LARGER ASTEROIDS THROUGH
TELESCOPIC OBSERVATIONS.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN THIS AT THE LOW
ENERGIES WE OBSERVE ON BENNU.
IT'S GIVING US A BETTER RANGE OF
ACTIVE ASTEROIDS THAT EXIST IN
THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
JUST TO GIVE SOME PERSPECTIVE,
IF YOU WERE TO SNAP A CRACKER IN
HALF, THE ENERGY RELEASED IS
COMPARABLE TO THE EJECTION
EVENTS WE ARE OBSERVING ON THE
ASTEROID.
>> WOW, THERE'S A LOT GOING ON
THAT ROCK.
USE THE #ASKNASA AT TWITTER OR
Facebook OR COMMENT STREAM.
WE'LL TAKE AS MANY AS WE CAN
DURING THE PROGRAM.
LET ME GET TO THE FIRST ONE OF
THOSE.
HOW BIG IS THE ASTEROID AND DOES
IT HAVE A PARTICULAR ORBIT.
>> I CAN GO AHEAD AND ANSWER THE
FIRST PART.
BENNU IS ABOUT 500 METERS IN ITS
LONGEST DIMENSION.
TO GIVE PERSPECTIVE, ABOUT THE
SIZE OF THE EMPIRE STATE
BUILDING.
ABOUT A HUNDRED STORIES.
YOU WANT TO ANSWER THE QUESTION
ABOUT THE ORBIT, MIKE?
>> IT'S IN A NEAR-EARTH ORBIT.
IT'S AROUND THE SUN AND CROSSES
THE EARTH'S ORBIT.
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS BENNU
IS SUCH AN INTERESTING OBJECT
FOR US TO STUDY IN THIS MISSION.
WE ARE INTERESTED IN PRECISELY
STUDYING ITS ORBIT AND HOW THAT
EVOLVES OVER TIME TO UNDERSTAND
NOW CLOSE IT MIGHT COME TO THE
EARTH.
>> OKAY.
APPRECIATE THAT.
SO CAN YOU TELL US WHERE THE
NAME OSIRIS-REx COMES FROM?
>> THE OSIRIS-REx AS OUR
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR LIKES TO
SAY IS AN AWESOME ACRONYM.
ORIGIN, SECURITY, ENTER PRESENT
TAGS, RESOURCE IDENTIFICATION,
REGULUS EXPLORER.
THERE IS A LOT THERE.
>> I HOPE THAT ANSWERS THAT
QUESTION.
LET'S SEE WHAT WE GOT.
ANOTHER ONE.
JIM ON YouTube ASKS WHAT ARE
YOU LOOKING FOR WHEN YOU GO TO
THE SAMPLE SITE, WHEN YOU ARE
SEARCHING THE SAMPLE SITE, WHAT
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
>> THE PRIMARY THING WE ARE
LOOKING FOR IS THE PRESENCE OF
SAMPLABLE MATERIAL.
WE ARE INTERESTED IN WHETHER OR
NOT ITS SAFE.
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I'M
INTERESTED IN WHETHER OR NOT
THESE SITES MIGHT HAVE ORGANIC
MATERIAL OR THING THAT IS WE
THINK ARE SIMILAR TO THE
PRECURSORS TO LIFE THAT WERE
EVENTUALLY DELIVERED TO EARTH.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO
ADD ABOUT THE SAFETY?
>> OUR NUMBER ONE GOAL IS TO
KEEP THE SPACECRAFT SAFE WHILE
NOVEMBER GATING DOWN TO THESE
POTENTIAL TAG SITES.
SOME HAVE VERY LARGE BOULDERS
AND SOME THAT ARE POTENTIALLY
HAZARDOUS.
SO WE HAVE HAD TO TAKE
PRECAUTIONS TO KEEP THE
SPACECRAFT SAFE.
>> I WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH.
THAT'S FASCINATING.
NOW WE HAVE A VIDEO, SOME OF THE
SURPRISES OF BENNU THEY HAVE
BEEN TALKING ABOUT.
LET'S WATCH THAT RIGHT NOW.
>> IN LATE 2018 AT OSIRIS-REx
NEARED ITS TARGET, BENNU, IT
GREW TO A HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGE.
IT CONFIRMED THE BASIC SHAPE
WHICH WAS OBSERVED IN 1999 BY
GROUND BASE RADIO.
WHAT SCIENTISTS DIDN'T EXPECT
WAS JUST HOW ROUGH AND
BOULDER-FILLED IT WAS.
IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO GRASP THE
UNFAMILIAR SURFACE, IT'S HELPFUL
TO UNDERSTAND THE SCALE OF WHAT
YOU ARE SEEING HERE.
IN THIS IMAGE, THE BRIGHTEST
BOULDER IS THE LENGTH OF A
HORSE.
THIS IS THE WIDTH OF A SOCCER
FIELD.
THE OTHER CHALLENGE IS THE SMALL
SIZE AND WEAK GRAVITY.
OSIRIS NEEDS TO FLY CLOSE.
IT ENTERED THE CLOSEST EVER
ORBIT FOR A SPACECRAFT, SETTING
A GUINNESS WORLD RECORD IN THE
PROCESS.
SIX MONTHS LATER IT BEAT ITS OWN
RECORD AND APPROACHED TO WITHIN
A FEW HUNDRED METERS OF THE
ROCKY SURFACE.
BECAUSE IT FLEW SO CLOSELY, THE
TEAM WAS ABLE TO MAP THE
TOPOGRAPHY OF BENNU.
IN ADDITION, OSIRIS-REx PLANS
TO COLLECT AND RETURN A SAMPLE
BACK TO EARTH.
THE SPACECRAFT WILL TAG THE
SURFACE OF BENNU.
THE TEAM HAS SELECTED FOUR
POSSIBLE SAMPLE SIGHTS.
OWE SPRAY, KINGFISHER,
NIGHTINGALE AND SANDPIPER.
THE SPACECRAFT HAS BEEN IMAGING
THE SITES.
WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED
AS A SMOOTH AND EASY TOUCHDOWN
HAS BECOME A COMPLEX ENDEAVOR TO
TAG THE SMALL, CROWDED SPACE, AN
AREA NO LARGER THAN A FEW
PARKING SPOTS BY 2020.
THE TEAM HAS PUSHED THE
BOUNDARIES OF SCIENTIFIC
EXPLORATION, GOING FROM GROUND
BASED RADAR IMAGES TO BEING A
FEW HUNDRED METERS FROM THE
ASTEROID'S SURFACE AND NOW IS
NEAR MONTHS AWAY FROM A SAMPLE
COLLECTION ATTEMPT.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THAT VIDEO GAVE US A LOT OF
PERSPECTIVE ON HOW HARD IT HAS
BEEN TO EXPLORE BENNU ONCE THE
SPACECRAFT GOT THERE AND ALL THE
SURPRISES.
WE ARE GETTING READY TO SELECT
THAT SAMPLE SITE AND TELL THE
WORLD ABOUT IT.
WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT BENNU AND
WHERE IT IS, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
NOW WE'LL GET INTO THE WHY.
I'M JOINED BY LORI GLAZE.
WHY DO WE DO SAMPLE RETURN?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
WE HAVE BEEN OBSERVING BENNU FOR
20 YEARS.
FIRST OBSERVED USING GROUND
BASED TELESCOPE.
THEN OVER THAT 20 YEAR PERIOD WE
CONTINUED TO OBSERVE THE
ASTEROID USING GROUND BASE AND
SPACE BASED OBSERVATIONS AND
OVER THE LAST YEAR, OF COURSE,
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO OBSERVE
USING THE OSIRIS-REx
SPACECRAFT.
BUT ALL OF THOSE MEASUREMENTS
AND OBSERVATIONS ARE REMOTE,
DONE FROM A DISTANCE.
THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR BEING
ABLE TO PICK UP SOME OF THAT
MATERIAL FROM THE SURFACE AND
BRING IT BACK TO EARTH.
BY BRINGING IT BACK, THAT ALLOWS
US TO USE THE FULL CAPABILITIES
OF ALL OF OUR STATE-OF-THE-ART
TECHNOLOGIES AND LABORATORY
FACILITIES TO ANALYZE THE
SAMPLES, TO ANSWER SOME OF THE
BIG QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE THAT
DANI WAS TALKING ABOUT WHEN SHE
WAS SITTING HERE.
NOT ONLY CAN WE ANSWER THOSE
QUESTIONS USING FACILITIES
TODAY, WE'LL PRESERVE MOST OF
THE SAMPLES FOR GENERATIONS TO
COME THAT THEY CAN USE NEW
FACILITIES AND INSTRUMENTATION
WE HAVEN'T EVEN DREAMED OF YET.
>> WOW, THAT'S GOING TO BE
AMAZING.
WHAT IN PARTICULAR DO YOU THINK
WE'LL LEARN FROM BENNU?
>> BENNU IS GOING TO ADDRESS
SEVERAL MAJOR QUESTIONS.
THREE BIG ONES IN PARTICULAR.
FIRST OFF, YOU HEARD OR YOU SAID
EARLIER THAT BENNU WE THINK IS A
REALLY OLD OBJECT THAT'S A
REMNANT AND PRESERVED FROM THE
EARLIEST PARTS OF OUR SOLAR
SYSTEM.
BY LOOKING AT THE SAMPLES, WE'LL
GET INSIGHTS AND INFORMATION
TELLING US WHAT IT WAS LIKE WHEN
THE SOLAR SYSTEM WAS FORMED.
WE THINK THERE ARE HYDRATED
MINERALS AND MOLECULES, WE'LL
BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW THOSE
TYPES OF MATERIALS WERE
DELIVERED TO EARTH AND WERE THE
SEEDS HOW LIFE BEGAN TO FORM ON
EARTH BACK IN THE EARLIEST
TIMES.
FINALLY, IT'S ALSO GOING TO HELP
US BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT TYPES
OF RESOURCES MIGHT BE AVAILABLE
ON THESE ASTEROIDS THAT ARE OUT
THERE AS WE START TO TAKE HUMAN
EXPLORATION BEYOND THE MOON AND
GO OTHER PLACES.
THERE MAY BE RESOURCES THAT MAY
BE OF USE.
>> SOME BIG QUESTIONS.
THERE ARE OTHER MISSIONS IN
PLACE GOING FORWARD TO GET
SAMPLES FROM OTHER PLACES
BUILDING ON THE APOLLO MOON
ROCKS WE HAVE AND GOING TO MARS
AND SO FORTH.
HOW DOES THAT ALL FEEL TO FILL
IN THIS?
>> OF COURSE, THE APOLLO
MISSIONS WERE THE FIRST MISSIONS
TO BRING SAMPLES BACK.
WE GET NATURAL SAMPLES ALL THE
TIME WITH METEORITES.
WE JUST OPENED UP SOME SAMPLES A
FEW MONTHS AGO OR JUST TRYING TO
LOOK AT THOSE AND WITH OUR NEW
TECHNOLOGIES, AS I WAS SAYING.
WE ALSO ARE WORKING WITH THE
JAPANESE SPACE AGENCY ON THEIR
MISSION TO VISIT ANOTHER
ASTEROID CALLED RYUGU.
THEY WILL BE RETURNING SAMPLES,
WE'LL BE ABLE TO STUDY ANOTHER
ASTEROID IN COMPARISON WITH
BENNU.
AND THE JAPANESE SPACE AGENCY IS
BRINGING BACK OTHER SAMPLES.
WE'LL BE LAUNCHING THE MARS 2020
ROVER WHICH WILL LAND, DRIVE
AROUND AND COLLECT SAMPLES FROM
MARS THAT WILL BE LEFT ON THE
SURFACE FOR EVENTUAL RETURN BY A
MARS SAMPLE RETURN MISSION.
>> THERE IS A LOT GOING ON IN
THIS AREA.
THANK YOU, LORI, FOR THAT
PERSPECTIVE.
WE'LL BRING UP THE MAN WITH THE
ANSWERS.
DANTE LAURETTA HAS BEEN WORKING
AROUND THE CLOCK SINCE
OSIRIS-REx ARRIVED AT BENNU
LAST JANUARY 1.
THEY DISCOVERED THE SURPRISES WE
HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.
HE'S GOING TO GIVE US AN
OVERVIEW OF HOW THEY DECIDED ON
SITE SELECTION.
TELL US ABOUT THE PROCESS OF
NARROWING THESE DOWN.
>> AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE MAP
OF THE ASTEROID BEHIND US, WHEN
WE FIRST GOT THERE, THE MOST
OBVIOUS FEATURE WERE THESE
ABUNDANT, LARGE BOULDERS.
VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE
DESIGNED THE SPACECRAFT TO
SAMPLE.
WE WERE LOOKING AT SAMPLING
AREAS THAT WERE 25 METERS IN
RADIUS ACROSS.
I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE
OBVIOUS WHERE THE SAMPLE REGIONS
WERE AND IT WAS A
STRAIGHT-FORWARD SITE SELECTION.
IT WAS NOTHING OF THE SORT.
THE FIRST THING WAS TO COMPLETE
THE GLOBAL CHARACTERIZATION OF
THE ASTEROID.
WE HAVE LASER ALTIMETERS FOR
GETTING TOPOGRAPHY.
AND THE SCIENCE TEAM DID AN
AMAZING JOB OF GETTING THAT
INFORMATION AND MAKING A SERIES
OF MAPS OF THE SURFACE.
THEN WE WENT THROUGH SEVERAL
DIFFERENT WAYS TO CHARACTERIZE
IT.
WE HAVE THE TEAM LOOKING AT THE
IMAGERY AND OTHER DATA TO PICK
AREAS THAT LOOKED SAMPLABLE.
WE USED MACHINE LEARNING
ALGORITHMS.
WE WROTE SOFTWARE TO FIND FLAT
AREAS AND WE CROWD SOURCED SOME
OF THIS INFORMATION OUT TO GET
THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED IN
HELPING US SELECT THE SITES.
AFTER THAT PROCESS, WE HAD 50
DIFFERENT AREAS ON THE ASTEROID
SURFACE THAT LOOKED LIKE THEY
MIGHT BE INTERESTING FOR US.
I SET IT UP A TOURNAMENT STYLE
BRACKET.
WE GOT TO OUR SWEET 16 AND ELITE
8 AND FINAL 4 WHERE WE ARE ABOUT
TO CROWN THE CHAMPION AND RUNNER
UP OF THIS PROCESS.
>> I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE COOL
VIDEOS OF THOSE FINAL FOUR
SITES.
WHY DON'T YOU GO OVER THEM WITH
US.
>> LET'S LOOK AT THE FINAL FOUR
CANDIDATE SAMPLE SITES.
WE'LL START OFF WITH OSPREY.
ONE OF THE FEATURES IS A FLAT
ROCK.
IT'S 12:00 ROCK, POINTING DUE
NORTH.
IT DOES LOOK LIKE IT HAVE SOME
FINE GRAIN SAMPLE MATERIAL
TOWARDS THE CENTRAL REGION AND
IN THE TROUGH OR RIDGE.
IT IS A ROUGH AND RUGGED
SURFACE.
WE WORRY WE MIGHT BE MORE
CHALLENGING TO INGEST THOSE
SAMPLES.
BUT OVERALL THE SURROUNDING
AREA, IT'S UP ON A HILL, IT'S
FREE OF HAZARDS WE MIGHT FLY
INTO ON THE BACK AWAY FROM
COLLECTION.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE NEXT
ONE.
THIS IS THE KINGFISHER SITE.
THIS IS SIMILAR TO OSPREY.
WE LIKE THE EQUATOR, THE
NAVIGATION TEAM HAS HIGHER
ACCURACY.
THOSE LOOK LIKE THE FINEST GRAIN
SAMPLABLE REGIONS, BUT THEY ARE
REALLY SMALL, 2 METERS ACROSS.
THE HOPE WAS THAT THAT SAME KIND
OF FINE GRAIN MATERIAL WAS
ACCUMULATING IN THE CENTER OF
THIS CRATER.
THIS IS THE NIGHTINGALE CRATER.
UNLIKE OSPREY AND KINGFISHER,
THIS IS HIGH LATITUDE.
IT'S A CRATER ABOUT 20 METERS IN
DIAMETER.
IT'S CHARACTERIZED BY FINE GRAIN
MATERIAL.
WE SEE A FEW LARGE BOULDERS THAT
LOOK LIKE THEY HAVE ROLLED DOWN
INTO THE DEPRESSION.
THERE IS A LARGE WALL OF TALL
ROCKS.
THAT DOES REPRESENT A POTENTIAL
HAZARD.
WHEN WE MAKE CONTACT WITH THE
SURFACE.
THE ONLY THING THAT TOUCHES IS
THE END OF THE SAMPLE HEAD.
THAT MAY TIP OVER.
WE BACK AWAY FROM WHATEVER ANGLE
WE HAVE TIPPED INTO.
SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE
FINAL SITE.
THIS IS THE SANDPIPER SITE.
THIS IS A HIGH LATITUDE SITE.
UNLIKE THE OTHER THREE SITES,
IT'S PART OF A MUCH LARGER
CRATER, ABOUT 50 METERS IN
DIAMETER.
THE SITE ITSELF IS ON ONE OF THE
SLOPES OF THE CRATER WALL.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE THERE IS A
WHOLE SERIES OF BOULDERS THAT
ARE ROLLING DOWN THIS TERRAIN
LIKE A SLOW MOTION LANDSLIDE.
BUT IT APPEARS TO BE SHIELDED BY
THE LARGE ROCK.
THERE IS A SWATH OF THE CRATER
WALL THAT'S FREE OF BOULDERS AND
IS DOMINATED BY THAT FINE GRAIN
SAMPLABLE MATERIAL.
>> THOSE LOOK LIKE GREAT
CANDIDATES.
YOU HAVE SEEN THEM ALL NOW.
SOME OF THOSE SPACE ROCKS YOU
ARE SEEING RIGHT NOW ARE GOING
TO BE BROUGHT BACK TO EARTH.
THAT'S EXCITING.
SO, DANTE, DO YOU WANT TO TELL
US WHICH ONE YOU PICKED?
>> I WILL.
THINKING WE ARE GOING TO GET THE
SAMPLE BACK TO EARTH SENDS
CHILLS DOWN MY SPINE.
THE WINNER IS THE NIGHTINGALE
SITE.
>> ALL RIGHT.
MAKE SOME NOISE, AUDIENCE.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> WE RECOGNIZE THIS HAS SOME
HAZARDS.
WE ARE DOING A LOT OF WORK TO
MAKE SURE WE ARE TARGETING THE
SAFE REGIONS.
THIS ONE CAME ON TOP BECAUSE OF
THE SCIENTIFIC VALUE OF THE HIGH
LATITUDES, IT STAYS COOL AND THE
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF
OSIRIS-REx IS TO BRING BACK
ORGANIC MATERIAL AND WATER
BEARING MATERIAL FROM THE EARLY
SOLAR SYSTEM.
IT GIVES US THE BEST CHANCE TO
PRESERVE THAT KIND OF MATERIAL.
>> SINCE WE ARE DEALING WITH A
SITE WITH HAZARDS NEARBY, WE
HAVE PUT SAFETY MECHANISMS ON TO
THE SPACECRAFT.
IT CAN TELL IF IT'S COMING DOWN
TO A HAZARDOUS REGION AND WAVE
OFF AND FLY AWAY FROM THE
ASTEROID.
THAT MAY DISTURB THE SURFACE AND
MAKE THE REGION UNSAMPLABLE.
THE RUNNER UP IS THE OSPREY
SITE.
WE KNOW WE CAN GET IN THERE.
IT DOESN'T HAVE THE HAZARDS THAT
NIGHTINGALE DOES, BUT IT ALSO
MAY BE MORE CHALLENGING TO
COLLECT A SAMPLE.
WE THINK THE LOWER HAZARDS MAKES
IT THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR THE
BACKUP.
>> THANKS FOR THAT, DANTE.
WE HAVE QUESTIONS FROM SOCIAL
MEDIA.
USE THE #ASKNASA.
AARON IN THE AUDIENCE ASKS WHAT
IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF THE
SITE?
>> THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS THE
LARGE BOULDERS THAT ARE OFF ON
THE EASTERN EDGE OF THE CRATER.
THAT TALLEST ONE, I CALL IT
MOUNT DOOM BECAUSE IT HAS THE
CLASSIC PEAK SHAPE WE ARE
FAMILIAR WITH FROM THE
LITERATURE.
THAT'S SEVEN METERS TALL.
WHEN YOU ARE AT THE BOTTOM OF
THE CRATER, THAT'S ANOTHER THREE
METERS.
IT'S A BUILDING-SIZED
OBSTRUCTION.
WE ARE TRYING TO GET INTO A
CRATER THAT'S ON THE ORDER OF A
FEW PARKING LOT SPACES WIDE.
WE ARE DOING A TIGHT JOB PARKING
THAT AND WE ARE AWARE THAT WE
HAVE HAZARDS AROUND US.
PRECISION NAVIGATION TO THAT
SAMPLE MATERIAL IS OUR BIGGEST
CHALLENGE.
>> THAT'S GOING TO BE SOME
AMAZING ENGINEERING.
THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR
QUESTIONS WITH DANTE.
KEEP SENDING THEM IN.
THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> SO RIGHT NOW I'M GOING TO
INVITE MIKE MOREAU BACK TO THE
STAGE.
HE WILL TALK ABOUT THE
ENGINEERING THAT MAKES THIS
AMAZING SAMPLE RETURN POSSIBLE.
WE HAVE AN INSTRUMENT ABOARD
OSIRIS-REx CALLED TAGSAM WHICH
IS GOING TO INGEST THE SAMPLE IN
A UNIQUE WAY MIKE WILL EXPLAIN
AND RETURN IT TO EARTH LATER
AFTER WE GET IT.
SO WELCOME BACK, MIKE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> TELL US ABOUT THE CHALLENGES
OF THE SAMPLE COLLECTION.
>> YOU CAN IMAGINE WHEN THE
OSIRIS-REx MISSION WAS BEING
FORMULATED, THEY HAD A DESIGN
CHALLENGE.
HOW DO YOU COLLECT A SAMPLE
USING A ROBOTIC SPACECRAFT.
THE TAGSAM IS SOMETHING THAT
LOCKHEED MARTIN CAME UP WITH.
THE TAGSAM IS SHOWN IN FULL
SCALE.
IT SITS AT THE END OF A ROBOTIC
ARM AT THE END OF THE
SPACECRAFT.
THE TAGSAM IS THE ONLY PIECE OF
THE SPACECRAFT THAT WILL TOUCH
THE SURFACE.
IN DOING SO, ONCE CONTACT WITH
THE SURFACE IS DETECTED, THERE
WILL BE NITROGEN GAS BOTTLE THAT
IS FIRED WHICH STIRS UP THE
SURFACE, CHURNS UP THAT FINE
GRAIN MATERIAL WHICH WILL BE
CAPTURED IN THE OUTER RING.
ONCE IT'S BEEN IN CONTACT FOR A
FEW SECONDS, IT WILL FIRE
THRUSTERS AND BACK AWAY
HOPEFULLY WITH THE SAMPLE IN
HAND.
>> THERE IS SO MANY
CONTINGENCIES HERE.
WHAT HAPPENS IF IT GETS TOO
CLOSE AND REALIZES THERE ISN'T
ENOUGH TO SAMPLE?
>> DANTE ALLUDED TO THIS.
WE HAD TO MAKE SOME CHANGES TO
THE CAPABILITIES OF THE
SPACECRAFT TO NAVIGATE INTO
NIGHTINGALE.
WE HAVE A HAZARD MAP.
THE ON-BOARD KNOWLEDGE THAT THE
SPACECRAFT HAS OF WHERE IT'S
COMING DOWN, IF IT DETECTS WE
ARE COMING TOO CLOSE, IT CAN
BACK AND AWAY AND WE'LL HAVE A
CHANCE AGAIN.
>> WHAT HAPPENS ONCE YOU GET THE
SAMPLE COLLECTED?
WHAT HAPPENS TO IT?
>> ONCE WE BACK AWAY, THE NEXT
COUPLE OF DAYS WILL ASSESS THE
HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE
SPACECRAFT AFTER CONTACTING THE
SURFACE AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
IF WE HAVE A SAMPLE.
THE TWO PRIMARY WAYS, ONE IS
IMAGING THE TAGSAM WITH THE
CAMERAS ON BOARD THE SPACECRAFT.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE IF THERE IS
MATERIAL THAT'S CAPTURED INSIDE
THE RING.
THE OTHER TECHNIQUE WE ARE GOING
TO USE IS CALLED A SAMPLE MASS
MEASUREMENT.
WE'LL BE SPINNING THE SPACECRAFT
IN A LITTLE PIROUETTE AND HELP
US DETERMINE THE SAMPLE AT THE
END OF THE ARM.
>> WOW.
YOU ARE AN ENGINEER.
WE HAVE A QUESTION, HOW DO YOU
DECIDE THE MANEUVERS THE
SPACECRAFT HAS TO DO AND HOW DO
YOU ASSESS YOUR OPTIONS IN SUCH
A TIGHT SPACE?
>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
THE NAVIGATION TEAM AND LOCKHEED
MARTIN TEAM ARE SPENDING MANY
HOURS DESIGNING THE TRAJECTORIES
THAT ALLOWED US TO FLY NEAR
BENNU AND COLLECT THE IMAGES.
NOW THAT WE HAVE SELECTED THE
NIGHTINGALE SITE, DOING THE
FINAL DESIGNS OF THE TRAJECTORY
THAT WILL TAKE US FROM ORBIT
DOWN TO THE SURFACE AND CONTACT
THE SAMPLE.
THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF WORK TO
DETERMINE THOSE TRAJECTORIES AND
HOW ACCURATELY WE CAN CONTACT
THE SURFACE.
>> HOW IS THE TEAM'S WORK
CHANGING NOW THAT YOU GOT THE
FOCUS, YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE
GOING?
>> THE TEAM IS INCREDIBLY
EXCITED.
NIGHTINGALE IS AN EXCITING SITE
TO GO INTO BECAUSE OF THE
CHALLENGES IT'S POSING.
THE TEAM HAS RISEN TO THE
CHALLENGE, TO COME UP WITH HOW
WE WOULD MAKE THE DECISION ABOUT
THE BEST SITE, BUT ALSO TO
CONVINCE OURSELVES THAT WE CAN
GET THERE AND NAVIGATE THE
SPACECRAFT SUCCESSFULLY.
THE TEAM IS EXCITED TO BE ABLE
TO MOVE FORWARD AND PUT ALL OF
OUR ATTENTION TOWARD TAGGING AT
THE NIGHTINGALE SITE.
>> WE HAVE A COUPLE MORE REAL
QUICK HERE.
I'M NOT SURE IF YOU CAN ANSWER
THIS YOURSELF, BUT LUCY WANTS TO
KNOW, ARE THERE GOING TO BE
PRECAUTIONS FOR QUARANTINE ONCE
THIS COMES BACK?
>> THAT'S NOT MY EXPERTISE.
THERE WILL BE GREAT CARE WHEN
THE SAMPLE RETURNS TO THE EARTH.
IF WILL ENTER THE ATMOSPHERE IN
A SMALL CAPSULE THAT WILL LAND
IN THE UTAH DESERT.
IT WILL BE TRANSPORTED TO
JOHNSON SPACE CENTER WHERE THERE
IS FACILITIES TO MAKE THE SAMPLE
AVAILABLE FOR ANALYSIS.
>> I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY ON
THE SHOW TODAY.
THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE
RIGHT NOW.
BUT PLEASE CONTINUE TO GO TO
NASA.GOV/OSIRIS-REx.
IT'S GOING TO GET MORE EXCITING
AS WE GET THE SAMPLE.
THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR
NOW.
UNTIL NEXT TIME, LET'S GO PLAY
TAG.