>> SINCE LATE 2018, NASA'S
OSIRIS-REX MISSION HAS BEEN
EXPLORING NEAR-EARTH ASTEROID
BENNU.
OSIRIS-REX HAS CAPTURED CLOSE-UP
IMAGES AND 3D MAPS OF BENNU'S
ROCKY TERRAIN, STUDIED ITS
GEOLOGY AND CHEMICAL MAKEUP AND
WITNESSED PARTICLES BEING
EJECTED INTO SPACE.
IN OCTOBER 2020, THE SPACECRAFT
VENTURED TO BENNU'S RUGGED
SURFACE AND GRABBED A SAMPLE OF
THE ASTEROID THAT IT WILL RETURN
TO EARTH IN 2023.
NOW THAT ITS SCIENCE GOALS ARE
COMPLETE, THE TIME HAS COME FOR
OSIRIS-REX TO FIRE ITS AND BID
FAREWELL TO BENNU.
>> HELLO, EVERYONE!
TODAY IS A BIG DAY AT NASA.
AFTER TWO AND A HALF YEARS OF
SPACE OPERATIONS NEAR ASTEROID
BENNU, NASA'S FIRST ASTEROID
RETURN MISSION OSIRIS-REX IS
READY TO BID FAREWELL TO THIS
FASCINATING ROCKY OBJECT
I'M JOY NG AND I'M JOINING YOU
FROM NASA'S GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT
CENTER IN GREENBELT, MARYLAND.
WE ARE ABOUT 20 MINUTES AWAY
FROM WITNESSING THE EXACT MOMENT
OSIRIS-REX BEGINS IT'S A JOURNEY
BACK TO EARTH AND BEGINS A NEW
PHASE OF ITS MISSION.
IT'S A JOURNEY THAT WILL TAKE
MORE THAN TWO YEARS, AND IT WILL
BE THE LARGEST SAMPLE RETURN
SINCE THE APOLLO ASTRONAUTS
BROUGHT BACK ROCKS FROM THE MOON
IN THE '70S.
IN TODAY'S SHOW, WE HAVE AN
EXCITING LINEUP.
WE ARE GOING TO TAKE YOU INSIDE
LOCKHEED MARTIN'S MISSION
SUPPORT AREA IN LITTLETON,
COLORADO, AS WE DEPART ASTEROID
BENNU.
WE WILL SHOW YOU THE LAST IMAGES
OF BENNU TAKEN BY OSIRIS-REX
AND EXPLAIN WHY THE MISSION
CHOSE TO MAKE ONE FINAL CLOSE
ENCOUNTER WITH THE ASTEROID.
HELPING US TELL THOSE STORIES
WILL BE THE CURRENT OSIRIS-REX
TEAM, THAT HAS BEEN WORKING
TOGETHER FOR MANY YEARS AND ARE
ABOUT TO FINISH THEIR STINT ON
THE MISSION AS THE SPACECRAFT
HEADS INTO ITS NEW PHASE.
JOY: IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR
ANY OF THE TEAM, HEAD TO NASA'S
SOLAR SYSTEM INSTAGRAM TO POP
YOUR QUESTIONS IN OUR STORIES!
YOU CAN ALSO FOLLOW ALONG WITH
THE MISSION ON THE NASA SOLAR
SYSTEM ACCOUNTS ON TWITTER,
FACEBOOK, AND INSTAGRAM OR BY
FOLLOWING THE HASHTAG.
#TOBENNUANDBACK.
JOY: ASTEROID BENNU IS THE
SMALLEST OBJECT EVER TO BE
ORBITED BY A SPACECRAFT AND
THERE IS A TEAM WATCHING
OSIRIS-REX'S EVERY MOVE
THEY'RE BASED AT LOCKHEED MARTIN
SPACE IN LITTLETON, WHERE
OSIRIS-REX WAS BUILT AND WHERE
MISSION CONTROLLERS RECEIVE ITS
DATA AND CAN TELL HOW IT'S
DOING.
LET'S CHECK IN WITH THEM NOW TO
GET AN UPDATE ON TODAY'S BIG
EVENT!
>> HI, LAUREN, HOW IS IT GOING?
>> HI, I'M LAUREN DUDA, AND I'M
HERE IN THE LOCKHEED MARTIN
MISSION SUPPORT AREA WITH OUR
TEAM THAT'S CONDUCTING
OSIRIS-REX'S DEPARTURE
OPERATIONS RIGHT BEHIND ME.
JOINING ME NOW IS CAREY PARISH,
OSIRIS-REX'S PROPULSION LEAD AT
LOCKHEED MARTIN.
CAREY, CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TODAY?
TODAY WE ARE
USING ITS LARGEST THRUSTERS TO
CHANGE OSIRIS-REX'S VELOCITY AND
DIRECTION AND BEGIN ITS RETURN
TO EARTH.
TODAY'S ACTIVITIES SIMILAR TO
MANEUVERS WE EXECUTED OVER THE
LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
THE MAIN DIFFERENCE, THOUGH.
WE WILL FIRE
THRUSTERS WILL FIRE FOR LONGER
THAN USUAL TO REALLY KICK UP THE
SPACECRAFT'S MOMENTUM AND GET IT
HEADING BACK TOWARDS EARTH.
>> SO THIS WILL BE THE LONGEST
ENGINE BURN SINCE A THE ASTEROID
BENNU.
HOW LONG WILL THE WHOLE
DEPARTURE PROCESS TAKE?
>> THE MANEUVER ITSELF LASTS FOR
TEN MINUTES.
CAREY: WE HAVE BEEN WORKING THE
PAST FEW WEEKS TO OPTIMIZE THE
SIZE OF THE MANEUVER AND THE
DIRECTION WE ARE POINTING WHEN
WE FIRE OUR THRUSTERS.
OUR MAIN ENGINE BURN SEQUENCE
STARTED ABOUT ONE HOUR BEFORE
THE ENGINES ACTUALLY FIRE.
THE BURN ITSELF WILL TAKE
APPROXIMATELY 7 MINUTES.
>> THAT IS EXCITING.
I KNOW I CAN'T WAIT FOR WHAT
HAPPENS IN A LITTLE WHILE.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US
TODAY, CAREY.
GOOD LUCK TO YOU AND THE TEAM.
THANK YOU, LAUREN.
>> THE SPACECRAFT WILL HAVE TO
SURF USING PRETTY COOL ORBITAL
MECHANICS.
JOINING US NOW TO TALK ABOUT
THAT IS MIKE.
MIKE.
HOW ARE YOU DOING TODAY?
>> GREAT.
LAUREN.
REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE WITH
LOCKHEED MARTIN AND TIME
MEMBERS.
>> WE ARE EXCITED TO YOU HAVE
AND VERY EXCITED FOR TODAY.
SO FAST FORWARDING A LITTLE BIT.
AFTER OSIRIS-REX HEADS BACK TO
EARTH HOW WILL THE SAMPLE RETURN
CAPSULE GET BACK TO EARTH.
>> THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.
EXCITED TO BE HERE WITH LOCKHEED
MARTIN AND KINETX TEAM MEMBERS
TO GET THE SPACECRAFT HEADED
TOWARDS HOME.
IT WILL TAKE TWO YEARS TO CATCH
UP WITH THE EARTH.
SOL AFTER THAT JOURNEY.
THE SAMPLE RETURN CAPSULE WILL
BE JETTISON FROM THE SPACECRAFT
IN SEPTEMBER OF 2023 JUST FOUR
HOURS BEFORE ATMOSPHERIC ENTRY
AND THE SATELLITE WILL PERFORM
THE OWN MANEUVER TO DIVERT AND
FLY SAFELY PAST THE EARTH.
>> WELL, I CAN'T WAIT TO SEIZE
WHAT THE SPACECRAFT BRINGS BACK
TO US IN A SAMPLE RETURN
CAPSULE.
SO PLEDGING BACK AL LITTLE BIT
ON WHAT THE MISSION HAS DONE
DATE.
OSIRIS-REX ARRIVED IN DES
DECEMBER OF 2018 BUT IT DIDN'T
STAY IN ORBIT LIKE MOST MISSIONS
J. WAS THAT?
>> THE SHORT ANSWER, LAUREN,
THAT BENNU'S GRAPH MUCH WEAKER
THAN OF A PLANET LIKE MARS OR
JUPITER SO LIKE A DANCE.
IT TAKES ONLY TIME TO SEND
OSIRIS-REX CHANGE DIRECTION TO
EXECUTE THE NEXT FLY BAY OR
CAPTURE INTO ORBIT OR WHATEVER
THE NEXT DANCE MOVE IS.
SO OSIRIS-REX IS ATTRACTED BY
BENNU'S GRAVITY BUT SO SMALL IT
IS PUSHED AROUND THE BY THE
SUN'S RADIATION PRESSURE ON
SOLAR ARRAYS AND FROM HEATING
AND COOLING FROM SURFACES OF THE
SPACECRAFT.
SO THAT IS WHAT MAKES BENNU SO
CHALLENGING IS THE PRECISE
MODELING THAT HAS TO HAPPEN IN
ORDER TO DO THIS DANCE AROUND
BENNU.
>> ABC LIT.
THAT SOUNDS SUPER COMPLEX.
IT SOUNDS LIKE IT IS ACTUALLY
NOT THAT EASY TO FLY IN LOW
GRAVITY.
NO, IT IS REQUIRED A MONUMENTAL
AMOUNT OF EFFORT BY THE
OPERATIONS AND NAVIGATION TEAM
MEMBERS FROM WHERE I SITTING IN
THE ROOM TODAY.
SO I KNOW WE ACTUALLY HAVE A
VIDEO OUT THERE OF THE COMPLEX
WHEN THAT OSIRIS-REX MADE AROUND
BENNU.
CAN YOU TALK TO US THROUGH THAT.
IT MAPS OUT EVERY ARC AND ORBIT
PERFORMED BY OSIRIS-REX IN 2018
WHEN OSIRIS-REX FIRST ARRIVED
AND MADE A SERIES OF FLYBYS FROM
FIVE MILES YOU WAY THEN CAPTURED
INTO ORBIT AT IN THE OF 2018
JUST A MILE ABOVE THE SUR THIS
PATTERN OF LEADING ORBIT AND FLY
BUYS AND RETURNING WAS REPEATED
THROUGH MISSION PHASES EACH TIME
GETTING CLOSER TO TO GREATER
DETAIL.
SO IN 2020 WE BEGAN CONDUCT
REHEARSALS AND HAD THE SAME
PATTERN OF GETTING BACK INTO
ORBIT AFTER EACH ACTIVITY THEN
AFTER THE TAG IN 2010 IN OCTOBER
WE DRIFTED 2,000 AWAY FROM BEEN
KNEW THEN AT IN THE OF THE
ANIMATION YOU CAN SEE WE CAME
BACK FOR ONE LAST FLY BY ON
APRIL7th TO SEE HOW WE CAN
DISTURB THE TAG STREET THE
SAMPLE COLLECTION EVENT.
>> WOW.
SO I KNOW THAT REALLY LOOKS LAKE
TANGLED WIN DEED.
AND SO DID THE TEAM LEARN
ANYTHING FROM DOING THE VERY
PRECISE MANEUVERS
>> YEAH.
ABSOLUTELY.
EVERY KINK IN THIS MEANS THE
SPACECRAFT PERFORMED EXTREMELY
PRECISE MANEUVER.
CHANGING THE VELOCITY BY 2 TO 20
PER SECOND SO EACH THOSE HUGE
EFFORT BY THE TEMPERATURE IN THE
ROOM.
SOME THE NEXT SMALL BODY MISSION
AND I BELIEVE WE ARE ABLE TO USE
THE ONBOARD THAT MADE OUR TAG
EVENTS SO SUCCESSFUL TO EASE THE
BURNED ON THE TEAM MEMBERS OVER
THE TWO YEAR OF OPERATIONS THAT
WE DID.
>> THAT SO EXCITING.
ALWAYS GREAT TO HAVE MISSION
LIKE TO.
EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE
LEARN THINGS TO TAKE FORWARD.
MIKE, THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING
US TODAY.
WE ARE SO GLAD YOU FLOOR.
I KNOW WE WILL SEE YOU BACK
LATER IN THE SHOW.
>> THANKS A LOT.
WHEN OSIRIS-REX FIRST ARRIVED IT
MADE A SERIES OF FLYBYS OVER
BENNU FROM ABOUT FIVE MILES
BEFORE COMING CLOSE ENOUGH ON
NEW YEAR'S EVE 2018 TO BE
CAPTURED INTO ORBIT LITTLE OVER
ONE MILE ABOVE THE SURFACE.
♪
>> WOW.
THAT IS SUCH AN EXCITING MOMENT.
I LOVE SEEING THAT.
YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH IS FLYING
AROUND IN THOSE MAJORS TAKE BOON
THINK SPACECRAFT.
TAG WAS A HUGE SUCCESS FOR THE
MISSION OSIRIS-REX COLLECTED A
SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF ROCK AND
DUST, BUT THAT SUCCESS CREATED
ANOTHER HICCUP.
A LITTLE WHILE AGO, WE ASKED
RYAN OLDS THE GUIDANCE
NAVIGATION AND CONTROL TEAM LEAD
WHAT HAPPENED AFTER TAG.
LET'S HEAR WHAT HE HAD TO SAY.
>> WE HAD TO NO WAY TO KNOW FOR
SURE.
SEEING THE FIRST PICTURES TO
BEING STUNNED.
WE SAW WE HAD TON OF MATERIAL IN
THE SAMPLE HEAD.
BUT THE MORE AND MORE IMAGES WE
STARTED TO SEE, THE MORE WE
STARTED TO PAUSE AND SAY WAIT
MINUTE WE START TO LOSE THE
SAMPLES SO WE HAD TO LOOK
THROUGH THE IMAGES TO DETERMINE
WHAT WAS GOING ON.
HOW MUCH SAM BELL HAD.
ANY RISK AND THERE ARE SOME
POSSIBILITIES OF THE MATERIAL
GETTING INTO THE WAY AND
BLOCKING THE SAMPLING MECHANISM
FROM STOWING PROPERLY.
WE STARTED TO REALIZE, WE MAY
HAVE TO MAKE SOME CHANGES HERE
TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
SO IN ORDER TO KNOW THE SAMPLE
WAS STORED SAFELY RELIED A LOT
ON MAJORS FROM THE CAMERA WHICH
TOOK PICTURES OF THE CAPSULE AND
THE SAMPLEHEAD.
IT WAS VERY CHALLENGING PROCESS.
WE HAD NOT PRACTICED THAT
PROCEDURE SINCE BEFORE LAUNCH
WHEN THE IT WAS HIGH.
TO GO THROUGH PROCESS.
TAKING ALL THE MAJORS Z WE
CAREFULLY MOVE THE SAMPLE HEAD
INTO THE CAPSULE WAS EXTREMELY
EXCITING AND CHALLENGING AND
WENT OFF WITHOUT A HITCH.
>> THAT WAS MOMENT FOR THE
MISSION AFTER THE HARD WORK THAT
WENT INTO TAGGING OSIRIS-REX WAS
ITS OWN SUCCESS.
TO TELL US HOW IT ADAPTED WE
HAVE PRINCIPLE INVESTIGATOR ARE
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA DANTE,
HI, HOW ARE YOU?
>> I AM EXCITED, JOY.
A GREAT DAY FOR THE MISSION.
>> SO WE JUST SAW OSIRIS-REX
CREATE A LOT OF TURBULENCE ON
BENNU DURING THE SAMPLE GRAB.
WHAT DOES THE FLYING REVIEW
REPEAL ARE THE ROUGH SURFACE.
>> ONE OF THE BIGGEST
UNCERTAINTIES WHEN WE WERE
DESIGNING THE MISSION.
WHAT WAS GOING TO HAP BEN WHEN
THE SPACECRAFT MADE CONTACT WITH
BENNU.
WE HAD PREDICTIONS RANGING FROM
A FRACTION OF AN INCH TO THREE
FEET DEEP THE ARM WOULD SINK.
THE SPACECRAFT WAS PENETRATED
DEEP FLY THE ASTEROID SURFACE
AND THE SURFACE RESPONDED TO
LAKE FLUID LIKE TO COMPARE TO
THE BALL PITSE AS KIDS'
PLAYGROUND WE LEARN THE SURFACES
OF THE ASTEROIDS ARE LOOSELY
CONSOLIDATED.
>> BUT IT WAS DRAMATIC MANEUVER
SO WHY DO WED WE NEED ASTEROID
SAMPLE?
>> ASTEROIDS ARE THE GEOLOGICAL
REMNANTS FROM THE DAWN OF THE
SOLAR SYSTEM.
WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW DID
EARTH BECOME A HABITABLE PLANET
HOW WITH WERE THE SEEDS OF LIFE
THOSE ORGANIC MATERIALS
DELIVERED TO EARTH THAT
TRIGGERED THE ORIGIN OF LIFE AND
EVOLUTION AS WE KNOW IT?
SO WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE
ROCKS THAT DATE FROM THAT TIME
OF SOLAR SYSTEM HISTORY.
THANK IS WHERE YOU FUND THE
ASTEROIDS.
THAT IS WHERE YOU FUN THE
ASTEROIDS.
>> I AM SO EXCITED TO FINALLY
COME BACK.
SO AFTER APRIL7th, 2021.
OSIRIS-REX MADE THE FINAL
FLYOVER OF BENNU WHAT WHY DID
YOU SEN BACK AFTER COLLECTING
THE SAM FEEL? WELL, WE HAVE
SEEN THAT FOOTAGE OF THE DAY IT
CONNECTED AND SENT THAT DEBRIS
FLYING EVERYWHERE.
EVERYBODY WANTED TO KNOW WHAT IS
THE SURFACE LOOK LIKE.
THE GOOD NEWS WAS, AFTER WE
CHECKED OUT THE SPACECRAFT, HE
LOOKED HEALTHY NO SIGN OF ANY
WHATSOEVER THE TAG EVENT AND THE
SLIGHT DYNAMICS TEAM DID THE
CALCULATIONS AND SAID TODAY
MAY10th WAS THE BEST TO
CONSERVE FUEL ON THE SPACECRAFT.
SO A HEALTHY SPACECRAFT AND
TIME.
TOLD THE TEAM WE HAVE TO GET THE
FINAL IMAGES.
>> AND SO, WHAT DID YOU LEARN?
>> SO WHAT WE LEFT OUR MARK
ASTROID AND SEEING A PRETTY
LARGE CRATER EXTENSIVE AMOUNTS
OF MATERIAL WAS MOBILIZED AND
THEN SO IT REALLY HELPS US
UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF THE
ASTEROID SURFACE AND GIVES US IN
SIGHT INTO WHAT WE MAY BE
BRINGING HOME.
>> GREAT THANKS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING
US.
WE ARE ABOUT TO HEAD TO THE
MISSION SUPPORT AREA, SO LET'S
GO BACK TO THE LOCKHEED MAR IN
TO WATCH OSIRIS-REX DEPART
BENNU.
>> THANKS, JOY.
WE'RE JUST ABOUT TWO MINUTES A
WAY HERE FROM THE INITIATION OF
THE DEPARTURE BURN.
>> JODI IS HERE WITH US NOW.
RIGHT NOW.
THINK BURN HAS STARTED.
I'M JOINED BY JODI ZARESKI, THE
OSIRIS-REX SYSTEMS LEAD WHO
BUILT THE DEPARTURE MANEUVER
SEQUENCE.
JODI, CAN YOU TELL US WHAT'S
HAPPENING BEHIND US AT THIS VERY
MOMENT?
NOT SURE IF YOU COULD HEAR THAT.
WE HEARD THE ONE MINUTE
COUNTDOWN HAS STARTED TO THE
ENGINE BURN.
JODI ONE QUESTION FOR YOU.
SO OSIRIS-REX IS 291.
MILES WAY WHAT THIS IS
COMMUNICATION DELAY LIKE DURING
THAT TIME?
SO TODAY'S WAIT TIME IS 15
MINUTES AND 56 SECONDS.
GOT YOU.
DID THE TEAM UPLOAD THE COME
NOON WE DID.
AL THE PRODUCTS NECESSARY TO
EXECUTE TODAY'S MANEUVER WERE
SENT THIS PAST PRAY DAY.
SUPER EXCITING.
WELL, WE'LL GO AND LISTEN TO THE
ROOM AS WE ARE A FEW MOMENTS
AWAY.
>> WE HARD THE BORN HAS START.
>> THAT IS SUPER EXCITING.
SO WHALE WE'RE KIND OF WAITING
FOR THE TEAM WAIT AND WATCHES
THE SPACECRAFT HERE.
CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT WHAT THE ROLE IS ON THIS
MISSION?
>> THAT WAS CONFIRMATION OF THE
ENGINE BURN START.
THERE IS A LOT OF EXCITEMENT IN
THE ROOM TODAY.
WE ARE SUPER EXCITED FOR THIS
MOMENT TO HAPPEN.
HOW ARE YOU FEELING RIGHT NOW?
>> AM SO EXCITED.
WE ARE BRINGING THAT SAMPLE
BACK.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> YEAH.
>> ALL GOOD NEWS HERE AT
LOCKHEED MARTIN.
>> , I WILL SEN IT BACK TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU, LAUREN.
SO WHILE WE ARE WAITING FOR
COMPLETION OF THE ENGINE BURN
AND TAKE A QUICK LOOK AHEAD AT
WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN OSIRIS-REX
REACHES EARTH.
AFTER DEPARTING FROM BENNU IN
EARLY 2021, OSIRIS-REX WILL
RETURN TO EARTH IN LATE 2023.
FOUR HOURS PRIOR TO ARRIVAL, THE
SPACECRAFT WILL RELEASE THE
SAMPLE RETURN CAPSULE, THEN
DEFLECT AWAY FROM EARTH TO ITS
FINAL ORBIT, AS ITS PIECE OF
BENNU COMES HOME.
THE CAPSULE WILL ENTER THE
ATMOSPHERE OVER THE NIGHT SIDE
OF EARTH, STREAKING TOWARDS THE
CENTRAL CALIFORNIA COASTLINE AT
OVER 12-KILOMETERS PER SECOND.
WEST OF THE GREAT SALT LAKE, AT
AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 33
KILOMETERS, THE CAPSULE WILL
INITIATE ITS PARACHUTE SEQUENCE,
STABILIZING AND SLOWING ITS
DESCENT.
UPON LANDING IN THE UTAH DESERT,
THE SAMPLE WILL BE RECOVERED,
CAREFULLY REMOVED FROM THE
CAPSULE, AND TAKEN TO THE
OSIRIS-REX CURATION FACILITY AT
NASA'S JOHNSON SPACE CENTER IN
HOUSTON, TEXAS.
THIS PRISTINE MATERIAL FROM THE
EARLY SOLAR SYSTEM WILL BE
STUDIED FOR DECADES TO COME,
PROVIDING CLUES TO THE FORMATION
OF THE PLANETS, TO THE EVOLUTION
OF EARTH, AND TO THE INGREDIENTS
THAT WERE PRESENT AT THE ORIGINS
OF LIFE.
JOY: WELCOME BACK. MY NAME IS
JOY NG, AND I'M TALKING TO YOU
FROM NASA'S GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT
CENTER IN GREENBELT, MARYLAND.
IF YOU'RE JUST JOINING US,
OSIRIS-REX HAS FIRED ITS
THRUSTERS AND STARTED TO DEPART
ASTEROID BENNU.
WE'LL TAKE YOU BACK TO LOCKHEED
MARTIN TO WATCH THE DEPARTURE
FROM BENNU.
>> THANKS, JOY.
JOINING ME AGAIN IS MIKE FOR
OSIRIS-REX AND WAITING THE
ANNOUNCEMENT FOR 50% COMPLETION
OF THE BURN FOR DEPARTURE.
MIKE, HOW ARE YOU FEELING
ROOTING YOU?
>> I AM FEELING REALLY GREAT,
LAUREN.
WE GOT GOOD NEWS.
WE'RE EVENING THE DISPLAYS THE
BURNERS EXECUTING.
WE'RE SEEING THESE DOPPLER
POINTS PROP GALE ON THE PLOT
WHICH TELLS US WE ARE MAKING
PROGRESS TOWARD THE BORN AND A
COUPLE OF MINUTES AWAY FROM THAT
MIDPOINT.
>> WELL, THAT IS JUST FANTASTIC
TO HEAR.
SOL WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR A
MIDPOINT, LET ME ASK YOU, DO YOU
THINK THIS IS A MISSION THAT WE
COULD HAVE DONE 30 YEARS AGO?
>> NO.
NO WAY.
REALLY PUSHING THE ENVELOPE OUR
21st CENTURY NAVIGATION AND
OPERATIONS CAPABILITIES TO FLY
THE MISSION LIKE OSIRIS-REX.
JUST A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES, THE
NAVIGATION, THE MAPS FOR
LANDMARK NAVIGATION WE USED ON
THE MISSION REQUIRED EXCHANGING
GIGABITS OF DATA AND THESE LARGE
FILES DATING MAPS OF BENNU WHICH
CHALLENGED WITH THE COMPUTER
SYSTEM.
SO ANOTHER EXAMPLE.
COMPLETED 50% OF THE BURN.
OKAY.
THAT'S THE CALL YOU WERE LOOKING
FOR.
WE ARE HALFWAY DONE WITH THE
BURN.
WE ARE HALFWAY THROUGH THE 7
MINUTE MAIN ENGINE BURN.
THAT IS REALLY GOOD NEWS.
JUST TO FINISH WHAT I WAS
SAYING.
SO, SO THE OTHER EXAMPLE I WAS
GOING TO MAKE IS THE NFT SYSTEM
FOR THOSE THAT FOLLOW THE SAMPLE
COLLECTION EVENTS WE HAD ONBOARD
SYSTEM CALLED MFT THAT WAS USED
TO NAVIGATE THE SPACECRAFT THAT
SURFACE AND LOCKHEED MARTIN THEM
A DEVELOPED AND COMPANY A LOT OF
WORK TO GET THAT SOFTWARE WHICH
WAS RUNNING THAT WE NORMALLY DO
ON THE GROUND AND OUR COMPUTERS
HERE TO GET THAT TO FIT IN THE
CAPABILITY OF THE ONBOARD
PROCESSOR ON THE SPACECRAFT.
SO THAT IS A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES
BUT MANY THINGS LIKE THAT WHERE
WE REALLY HAD TO PUSH THE
ENVELOPE OF OUR CAPABILITIES TO
FLY THIS MISSION AND FLY SO
CLOSE TO BEEN N AND TOUCH THE
SURFACE.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
SOMETHING LIKE THAT NATURAL
FEATURE TRACKING WHERE YOU ARE
DOING SUCH PROXIMITY OPERATIONS
TO THE OBJECT YOU REALLY NEED
THAT REALLY TIME DATA AND THAT
REAL-TIME ABILITY FOR THE
SPACECRAFT TO MANEUVER ITSELF.
I WANT TO REFLECT BACK REALLY
BRIEFLY.
NEW YEAR'S EVE 2018 THERE IS A
PICTURE OF YOU AND THE WHOLE
TEAM HERE ALL DRESSED UP
UNFORMAL WEAR TO GO TO WORK.
WHY DID YOU DO THAT?
>> OK.
WELL, WE MENTIONED EARLIER.
A GREAT PICTURE.
A GREAT MEMORY FOR THE TEAM AND
MENTIONED EARLIER.
THAT WE HAD THE FIRST INSERTION
INTO ORBIT DECEMBER21st OF
201 AND EVENT THAT WAS BIG SMILE
STONE ON THE PROJECT AND THE
FIRST TIME WE HAVE BEEN THAT
CLOSE AND WORRIED WE MAY BE
SURPRISED BY SOMETHING NEW AND
FIGURED WE HAD TO DO THIS EVENT
ON NEW YEAR'S EVE WE MIGHT AS
WELL GET DRESSED UP AND
CELEBRATE IN THE PROCESS AND IT
WAS A LOT OF FUN THAN PICTURE
ACTUALLY WAS TAKEN ABOUT AN HOUR
AFTER WE FOR INNED WE WERE
SUCCESSFULLY IN ORBIT AND THEN
WE WENT OUTSIDE.
I WAS 10DEGREES AND SNOWING AND
THEN WE TOASTED OUR SUCCESS AND
WITH SPARKLING APPLE CIDER WHERE
IT HAPPENED TO BE MIDNIGHT AND
ABOUT THAT TIME WHEN WE WENT AND
DID THAT.
SOL THE GREAT MEMORY AND REALLY
JUST EXAMPLE THE TEAM WORKED SO
HARD OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS TO
ACCOMPLISH THIS EXPLORATION OF
MENU AND THEN SACRIFICING A LOT
AND THEN, THEN, THEY KNEW HOW TO
HAVE FUN TOO IT WAS GREAT TEAM.
SO THAT IS SUCH A COOL AND SURE
NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN SAY
THAT.
THAT IS SUPE EXCITING.
SO MIKE ABOUT HOW FAR OUT ARE WE
NOW FROM THE COMPLETION OF THE
DEPARTURE BURN AND GETTING CLOSE
NOW I WOULD SAY FROM THE PLOT
WEDS ARE A MACHINE MIN OR MINUTE
AND A HALF FROM THE FINAL
CALL-OUT.
SO LET'S LISTEN.
LET'S LISTEN FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
SO WE ARE GOING TO GIVE A LISTEN
TO THE ROOM NOW AS WE ARE
WAITING FOR OH CYRUS RACKS'
ENGINE BURN TO OFFICIALLY
COMPLETE.
>> WE HAVE NOMINAL BURN AND WE
ARE BURNING.
WOAH.
[APPLAUSE]
SO EXCITING.
>> HOW ARE YOU FEELING RIGHT NOW
AFTER ALL THE TIME YOU SPENT ON
THIS MISSION?
>> WELL, AM VERY, VERY EXCITED.
I AM THANKFUL THAT THIS EVENT IS
OVER AND WE ARE DONE MANEUVERS
LIKE THIS MANY, MAN TIME INS SO
WE HAVE OF DENT THAT WOULD GO
WELL.
NOW WE KNOW THE SPACECRAFT
COMING HOME HER TO COMBINATION
OF THE HARD WORK.
SO IT IS REALLY EXCITING TO HOOK
HE AND ALSO A LITTLE SAD TO BE
LIVING ARE LEAVING BENNU BUT
THAT IS WHAT WE NEED DO TO BRING
THE SAMPLE HOME.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
WELL I AM SUPER LUCKY TO BE
HERE.
KNOW WE GOT PROGRAM MANAGER
SANDY.
WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE YOU TO
NOW?
>> WE HAVE SPENT TWO YEARS
GETTING TO KNOW.
THE PRIME GOAL IS TO BRING THE
SAMPLE HOME.
WE SET OUT.
WE DID WHAT BREEZE SPECIAL TO DO
AT BENNU AND GOT THE SAMPLES
AND TIME BRING THEM BACK AND
EXCITE FOR THE NEXT WHAT THE
SCIENTISTS LEARNED ONCE THEY
HAVE IN HAND BACK ON EARTH.
>> DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND SWEET
FEELING.
I CANNOT IMAGINE HOW YOU FEEL
AND HOW EXCITED YOU MUST BE.
THANKS.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
CONGRATULATION TO YOU AND MIKE
AND THE ENTIRE OSIRIS-REX
MISSION TALE.
>> WE'LL SEN IT BACK TO YOU FOR
SOME QUESTIONS FROM THE OTHER
TEAM MEMBERS.
>> THANK YOU.
JOINING US NOW IS DR. LORI GLAZE
WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF NASA'S
PLANETARY SCIENCE DIVISION FROM
NASA HQ
JOY: HELLO LORI, HOW ARE YOU?
>> NICELY DOES AS ALWAYS.
NICELY DONE.
JOY: WHAT HAS NASA LEARNED FROM
OSIRIS-REX'S SUCCESS THAT WILL
BE APPLIED IN THE FUTURE?
>> SO REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
YOU HEARD MIKE SPEAK LITTLE BIT
EARLIER ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF
FOR EXAMPLE THE AUTONOMOUS
OPERATIONS THAT WERE DEMONSTRATE
BY THE SPACECRAFT AND THE
OPERATIONS TEAM THAT WILL HELP
INFORM FUTURE SMALL BODIES
MISSIONS BUT A VARIETY OF OTHER
THINGS WE LEARNED AS WITH.
FOR EXAMPLE.
YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE PLANETARY
MISSIONS TAKE THEIR OBSERVATIONS
FROM A DISTANCE USING REMOTE
SENSING INSTRUMENTS TO HELP US
UNDERSTAND THE COMPOSITION OF
THOSE PLANETARIES SURFACES.
BUT IT IS REALLY RARE THAT WE
ARE ACTUALLY ABLE TO COLLECT THE
SAMPLE AND BRING IT BACK TO
EARTH THAT WE CAN THEN USE AS
GROUND TRUTH TO HELP US
CALIBRATE THOSE REMOTE SENSING
OBSERVATIONS.
SO WE HAVE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY
HERE TO USE THE SAMPLES THAT WE
COLLECTED OPEN TO US INTERPRET
THOSE REMOTE OBSERVATION THEN ON
FUTURE MISSIONS FROM WHERE
TAKING REMOTE OBSERVATION WE ARE
ABLE TO BETTER INTERPRET THOSE
AND BETTER MAKE, MAKE
CONCLUSIONS ABOUT WHAT THE
SURFACES OF OTHER BODIES LOOK
LIKE.
WHAT THEY ARE.
JOY: WHAT'S NEXT FOR NASA'S
SMALL BODY MISSIONS AFTER
OSIRIS-REX?
>> ANOTHER GREAT QUESTION.
SO SMALL BODIES ARE FASCINATING
AND THERE ARE, OF COURSE, MANY,
MANY SMALL BODIES ACROSS OUR IN
TIRE SOLAR SYSTEM.
AND WE FINALLY FIND THEM IN
DIFFERENT LOCATONS AND THE
ASTEROIDS WE FEND IN ETCH
LOCATION CAN TELL US LITTLE BIT
OR DIFFERENT PARTS OF THAT STORY
HOW THE SOLAR SYSTEM FORMED AND
EVOLVED OVERTIME SO THE NEXT
MISSION WE HAVE READY TO GO THAT
IS GOING TO LAUNCH IN OCTOBER OF
THIS YEAR IS CALLED LUCY.
THE LUCY MISSION IS GOING TO GO
TO STUDY FAMILY OF SPECIAL
ASTEROIDS THAT ARE TRAPPED IN
JUPITER'S ORBIT AND ACTUALLY
GOING TO VISIT SEVEN DIFFERENT
ASTEROIDS THAT ARE CALLED TROJAN
ASTEROIDS THEN JUPITER ORBIT TO
HELP US UNDERSTAND THE FORMATION
OF THE GIANT PLANET HOUSE THE
HISTORY UNPACKED THE FORMATION
OF THOSE DIFFERENT ASTEROIDS AND
TROJAN ASTEROIDS FOUND IN THAT
ORBIT THEN THE NEXT MISSION
AFTER LUCY, THAT WE'RE GOING TO
LAUNCH IS CALLED THE DOUBLE
ASTEROID REDIRECTION TASK OR
DART.
THAT MISSION IS GOING TO LAUNCH
IN NOVEMBER SO JUST A MONTH
AFTER THE LUCY LAUNCH WILL BE
LAUNCHING DART.
DARTS THE FIRST MISSION IN OUR
PLANETARY DEFENSE LINE SIGNED
HAS A REALLY IMPORTANT PURPOSE
TO DEMONSTRATE A NEW CAPABILITY
OR A TEST, A TECHNIQUE CALLED
KINEX IMPACT ARE TECHNIQUE
WHERE WE'RE GOING TO SHOW HOW
WELL WE CAN CHANGE THE ORBIT OF
VERY, VERY SMALL ASTEROID BY
IMPACTING THE SPACECRAFT INTO
THE SMALL MOON OF THE ASTEROID
IN THE SMALL MOON AND WE ARE THE
SPACECRAFT IN THERE TO SEE HOW
WELL OR HOW MUCH WE CAN CHANGE
THE ORBIT AROUND THE LARGER
ASTEROID.
THEN WE HAVE A ANOTHER MISSION
COMING UP IN 2022 CALLED PSYCHE
THAT IS GOING TO LAUNCH IN THE
SUMMER OF 2022 AND THAT MISSION
IS GOING TO VISIT SPECIAL
ASTEROID CALLED 16 PSYCHE AND
THAT IS APPEARS TO BE METALLIC
ASTEROID AND VERY URN USUAL
ASTEROID THAT COULD POTENTIALLY
BE THE PLANET SO WE'RE EXCITED
ABOUT THAT MISSION AS WELL.
WE ALL SET TO LEARN LOTS OF
GREAT INFORMATIONS ABOUT THE
SMALL BODIES THAT INHABIT OUR
SOLAR SYSTEM.
>> RIGHT.
>> EXITING FEW YEARS AHEAD OF.
YOU THANKS SO MUCH, LORI.
>> MY PLEASURE.
THANK YOU.
NOW BRING BACK THE INVESTIGATOR.
JOY: SO DANTE, HOW ARE YOU?
>> TALL LAY MILL LOWER EMOTIONAL
NEXT,ED TO BE RIGHT NOW P. WE
KNEW THIS MANEUVER WAS COMING UP
BUT TO SEE THAT DOPPLER NOT KNOW
THOSE GENS FIRED, IT GIST
AMAZING SENSE OF PRIDE AND
ACCOMPLISHMENT.
I COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED FOR
WHAT THIS TEAM HAS ACCOMPLISHED
AND MOMENTS LIKE THESE I ALWAYS
THINK ABOUT THE SPACECRAFT AND
JUST IMAGINED IT
200MILLIONMILES OR MORE AWAY
FROM US DOING EVERYTHING THAT
WE'RE ASKING YOU TO DO.
TODAY WE ARE ASKING TO FIRE
THOSE NOW MOVING AWAY OVER
600MILES PER HOUR FROM BENNU ON
THE WAY HOME.
>> I AM SO EXCITED FOR YOU.
SO OSIRIS-REX COLLECTED A LOT OF
DATA OVER THE BOOST AND A HALF
YEARS AS THE PRINCIPLE
INVESTIGATOR WHAT ARE YOU MOST
EXCITED ABOUT?
>> IT IS A BULL SAMPLE RETURN.
FOR VERY SPECIAL REASON.
WE BELIEVED FROM OUR
ASTRONOMICAL TELESCOPIC DATA IT
WAS RICH IN CAR BEEN AND IT
CONTAINED ABUNDANT WATER LOCKED
UP INSIDE OF MINERALS CALLED
CLAYS FOR ME THE MOST EXCISING
RESULTS WHEN WE GOT THE DATA
DOWN AND THEN FIRST WE SAW THIS
CLEAR SIGNATURE OF WATER ALL
OVER THIS SURFACE OF BENNU.
IT IS WET, HYDRATED ROCK THEN A
LITTLE LATER ON IN THE MISSION
WE GOT THE SIGNAL WAS ABUNDANT
CARBON AND EVERYWHERE ON THE
SURFACE.
WE PICKED A GREAT SAMPLE SITE
NIGHTINGALE WHICH WILL GIVE US.
SO EVERYTHING I HOPE THIS
MISSION WOULD DELIVER IN TERMS
OF THE SAMPLES BENNU HAS GIVEN
US.
WE HAVE DONE OUR JOB.
WE GOT THE SAMPLE NOW WE FIRED
THE THRUSTERS ON THE WAY HOME
AND IT IS TIME LOOK FORWARD TO
WHAT I CALL THE GROUND GAME.
JOY: MOST OF THE PEOPLE OF THIS
TEAM HAVE BEEN TOGETHER A LONG
TIME AND HAVE PERFORMED
FLAWLESSLY THROUGH THE MISSION.
WHAT MADE THIS TEAM SO
SUCCESSFUL?
>> WELL BUILDING THE TEAM
CULTURE.
WE KNEW RIGHT AWAY YOU ARE BRING
PEOPLE FROM INDUSTRY PARTNER A
THEN DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS
DIFFERENT CULTURE AND
MOTIVATIONS BUT WE QUICKLY CAME
TOGETHER.
WE WERE NOT LOCKHEED MARTIN AND
NASA.
WE WERE OSIRIS-REX, WE HAD A
MISSION.
A MISSION WAS TO BUILD AMAZING
SPACECRAFT.
LITERALLY DO SOME WORLD RECORD
SETTING AFTER DYNAMIC MANEUVERS
AROUND THE ASTRID AND COLLECTED
THE SAMPLE SO THAT COMMON SENSE
OF PURPOSE AND THAT WHAT IS MADE
THIS TEAM WORK SO WELL TOGETHER.
>> THANK YOU, DANTE AND
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND THE
WHOLE OSIRIS-REX TEAM
SO WELCOME BACK.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
THE MISSION IS NOT OVER.
IT TERNS A NEW EXCITING PHASE
DELIVERING THE BOUNTY OF
ASTEROID SAMPLES BACK TO EARTH.
WE ARE TALKING TO TWO PEOPLE.
WE HAVE AND JASON FROM MARYLAND.
>> HI NICOLE AND JASON.
THANKS FOR JOINING US.
SO THIS IS EXITING TIME FOR YOU
BECAUSE YOU ARE JUST BEGINNING.
>> IT IS A THRILLING TIME.
I HAVE BEEN WORKING TO GET A
SAMPLE BACK SINCE MY DAUGHTER
WAS IN DIAPERS NOW GRADUATING
FROM HIGH SCHOOL.
CANNOT WAIT TO GET THAT SAMPLE
BACK AND SAY OUR GOOD-BYES TO
BENNU.
>> I AM NEW AT THE MISSION AND
JASON, BUT I AM LOOKING FORWARD
TO YEARS OF BEING PART OF THE
TEAM THAT CUR RATE AND TAKES
CARE OF THE SAMPLE ONCE IT
RETURNS TO EARTH.
>> SO NICOLE, CAN YOU LOOK
THROUGH WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE
SAMPLES ARE RECOVERED HOW DOS
THE SAMPLE GET SECURED THE LAB
AT JOHNSON SPACE CENTER?
>> WELL, SO AFTER THE SAMPLE
RETURN CAPSULES RECOVERED WE
TALKING TO A PORTABLE CLEAN LAB
WHERE IT SETS UP IN UTAH FOR
PRELIMINARY DISASSEMBLY WHERE
PART OF THE SAMPLE RETURN
CAPSULE CONTAINS THE BEEN KNEW
MATERIAL AND PACKAGED KNOWN
TRAVEL BOX THAT WILL KEEP IT IN
NITROGEN ATMOSPHERE TO PROTECT
IT FROM EARTH THAT WILL BE FLOWN
ON LEAN IN OUR LAB AT JOHNSON
SPACE CENTER THAT WE ARE
BUILDING AND THEN CAREFULLY
DOCUMENTATION AND BUILDINGS OF
IT AS WELL AS CHOOSING MATERIALS
TO LIMIT VERY MUCH WHAT THE
MATERIAL WILL BE EXPORT ARE
POSED TO PROTECT IT.
>> THAT IS QUITE THE JOURNEY.
SO THEN CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT HOW AS YOU IN THIS HE
TEAM WILL KEEP THE SAMPLE IN
PRISTINE CONDITION?
>> RIGHT.
SO AS HI COAL WAS SAYING WE HAVE
A ALMOST MID NUMBER OF MATERIALS
THAT SAMPLE CAN BE EXPOSED TO
AND PLANNED OUT WELL BEFORE WE
STARTED BUILDING A SPACECRAFT.
SO VERY, VERY EARLY DAYS WE CAME
UP WITH STRATEGIES TO KEEP THE
SAMPLE CLEAN AND THEN TO
DOCUMENT BOTH IN PAPER BUT ALSO
IN CHEMICAL DOCUMENTATION OF
WHAT IS THE SAMPLE HAS BEEN
EXPOSED TO AND COMES BACK WE CAN
COMPARE THE WITNESSES OF THE
SAMPLE OF WHAT WE GET BACK AND
UNDERSTANDED WHAT THE SAMPLE
TELLS BUS THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
>> JASON, YOU HAD A LONG CAREER
ANALYZING SAMPLES.
EXCITES YOU MOST ABOUT RECEIVING
THIS SAMPLE?
A SO AM INTERESTED IN AMONG 15
TESTING LOOKING AT THINGS
INVOLVED IN THE ORGANIC
COMPOUNDS THAT LEAD TO LIFE LIKE
THE LEFT AND RIGHT HAN AND THOSE
SORT OF THINGS IN THE SAMPLE.
BUT THE PART THAT EXCITES ME THE
MOST THAT IS 75% OF THE SAMPLE
WE BRING BACK IS FUTURE
GENERATIONS SO SCIENTIST PERHAPS
NOT EVEN BORN YET WILL USE
TECHNIQUES WE CAN NOT YOU MAN
GIN TO ASK QUESTIONS WE DON'T
KNOW HOW TO PHRASE YET SO A
DECADES LONG LEGACY THAT
OSIRIS-REX BRINGS TO THE SCIENCE
TO STUDY.
>> I AM SO THRILLED FOUR BOTH.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US
HUGE CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN.
SO THERE WE HAVE IT.
OSIRIS-REX HAS OFFICIALLY LEFT
BENNU AND CRUCIAL HOME.
YOU CAN KEEP UP-TO-DATE BY
FOLLOWING NASA SOLAR SYSTEM ON
TWITTER, FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM
BY FOLLOWING THIS HASHTAG TO
BENNU AND BACK.
NOW ABOUT TO CLOSE THE SHOW WITH
A LOOK BACK AT THE FIRST
MOMENTS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING
US.
IN OCTOBER 2020, THE SPACECRAFT
VENTURED TO BENNU'S RUGGED
SURFACE AND GRABBED A SAMPLE OF
THE ASTEROID THAT IT WILL RETURN
TO EARTH IN 2023.
♪
>> COPY ALL SYSTEMS ARE GO FOR
TAG.
0.5METERS.
1.7METERS.
ARE PROBABILITY IS 0%.
♪ OSIRIS-REX'S SAMPLING
MECHANISM PENETRATED BENNU AND
FIRED THE NITROGEN GAS BOTTLE
FOR CO THEN, HEAD.
AT 6:08:00P.M. EASTERN THE TEAM
ON EARTH RECEIVED CONFIRMATION
OF THE SUCCESSFUL TOUCHDOWN.
>> THE HAZE A MAP IS GO FOR TAG.
WE HAVE SUBSTANCE.
[CHEERING AND APPLAUDING]
AFTER SPENDING APPROXIMATELY SIX
SECONDS A THE SURFACE OSIRIS-REX
FIRED THE THRUSTERS AND BACKED
AWAY FROM SAMPLE SITES.
MAJORS TAKE AND FEW DAYS LATER
BY THE CRAM SHOWED ROCKS AND
DUST ESCAPING THE SAMPLEHEAD.
THE TEAM COLLECTED SUFFICIENT
SAMPLE AND DECIDED TO STEAL THE
TAG SAMPLE HOST PRESERVE THE
REMAINING MATERIAL.
THE SPACECRAFT MADE OF ONE MORE
FLYOVER OF BENNU AND SAW HOW BIG
OF A MARK IT LEFT ON THE
ASTEROID'S SURFACE IT SENT BIRDS
FLYING ACROSS THE SURFACE.
OSIRIS-REX COMPLETE THE LAST
FLYOVER OF BENNU AROUND 6:00
A.M. EASTERN ON APRIL7th,
202 AND BEGAN DRIFTING AWAY ARE
THE ASTEROIDS.
>> ON MAY10th, 2021,
OSIRIS-REX BEGAN THE TWO-YEAR
CRUISE BACK HOME TO EARTH.
AS OSIRIS-REX APPROACHES EARTH
IT WILL JETTISON THAT DINES
PIECES ASTROID BENNU.
THE FRC WILL TRAVEL THROUGH THE
EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE AND LAND
UNDER PARACHUTES AT THE TEST AND
TRAINING ON SEPTEMBER24th,
2023.
ONCE RECOVERED THE CAPSULE WILL
BE TRANSPORTED TO NASA'S SPACE
JOHNSON SPACE CENTER WHERE IT
WILL BE MOVED TO LABORATORIES
WORLDWIDE AND ENABLING TO STUDY
THE FORMATION OF THE SOLAR
SYSTEM AND EARTH AS HABITABLE
PLANET.
IN DECEMBER2019, AFTER
TRAVELING FOR TWO YEARS, 101
DAY, EVERY 1.2BILLIONMILES,
NASA'S OSIRIS-REX SPACECRAFT
ARRIVED AT THE TARGET NEAR
EARTH'S ASTEROID BENNU.
OSIRIS-REX IS THE FIRST MISSION
TO EXPLORE THE PRIMITIVE REMNANT
FROM THE ORIGINS OF THE SOLAR
SYSTEM DESIGNED TO STUD DID YOU
THE ASTEROID AND RETURN A SAMPLE
HOST EARTH.
BENNU WAS DARK WORLD ROUGHLY THE
HEIGHT OF A SKYSCRAPER HOW THE
SMALLEST BODY TO BE ORBIT
SPACECRAFT WAS KNOWN TO HAVE LOW
THERMAL LIKE AND INFRARED
SPECTROMETER ON OSIRIS-REX
CONFIRMED THIS PROPERTY LEADING
JOIN INS TO EXPECT A SMOOTH
SURFACE THE BUT THE FIRST
CLOSE-UP VIEWS OF BONE KNEW
DELIVERED A MAJOR SURPRISE.
IN EX DETAIL THE MISSION'S
CAMERAS ROCK SCAPE DOMINATE BY
BOULDERS BY COMBINING THESE FROM
OSIRIS-REX WITH THE LASER DATA
WE CAN TAKE A TOUR OF BENNU'S
REMARKABLE TERRAIN.
THE FIRST STOP IS THE PROMINENT
BOULDER DEFINES THE ASTEROIDS
PRIME MERIDIAN AND SERVES AS THE
BASIS OF THE COORDINATE SYSTEM.
IN PERSIAN MYTHOLOGY IT IS LARGE
BIRD AND THE PROCESSOR OF ALL
KNOWLEDGE.
IT IS LATIN FOR STONE.
TO THE NORTHEAST, LIES THE
LARGEST BOULDER ON BENNU
MEASURING OVER 300FEET IN
LENGTH IT IS A LONGER THAN
FOOTBALL FIELD.
IT IS ALSO RICH IN THE TYPE OF
IRON OXIDE CALLED EARLY FORM OF
MAGNETIC COME POS IN FOLKLORE
THE ROCK IS ENORMOUS BIRD OF
PREY THAT CAN CLASP ELEPHANTS
LOOK THE HERO, SINBAD.
♪
♪ CONTINUING NORTHEAST, OVER THE
EQUATORIAL RIDGE WE ARRIVE AT
THE SAXON.
THIS STRIKE BOULDER IS AMONG THE
DEAL, ON BENNU.
ALTHOUGH IT CLUTCHES MUCH
BRIGHTER BROCK THE SIZE OF A
PERCENT.
IN MEDIEVAL LEGEND GARGOYLES ARE
DRAGON-LIKE WINGED THAT CAN
BREATH FIRE AND GUARD FROM EVIL
SPIRIT THE NEXT DESTINATION
TAKES US FAR THOUGH EAST AT THE
NORTHERN END OF A SMALL CRATER
LIES A COMPARATIVELY BRIGHT
BOULDER MEASURING 33FEET IN
DIAMETER.
LOCATED NEAR ONE OF THREE SITES
WHERE BENNU EJECTED SMALL
PARTICLES INTO SPACE IN EARLY
2019 DISPLAYING THE EVOLVING
NATURE.
IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY, IT IS ONE OF
THE THREE HALF BIRD
PERSONIFICATIONS CAN OF STORM
WINDS WHO CARRIED EVIL DOERS
AWAY FROM THE EARTH.
IN THE CREATION STORIES OF
ANCIENT EGYPT THE UNIVERSE BEGAN
AS ENDLESS EXPANDS OF WATER FROM
THE SEA, ACROSS THE MOUNT BENNU
AND IT WAS UPON THIS ROCK THAT
THE GOD SETTLED ON THE FORM OF
THE BENNU BIRD AND SENT FORTH
THE CALL TO SHAPE CREATION.
THE STORY OF BEN BEN HARKENS TO
THE MOUNDS OF FERTILE THAT ONCE
REMOVED FROM THE RECEDING FLOOD
WATT OTHERS OF THE NILE AND
PROVIDES A FITTING NAMESAKE
ANOTHER TALLEST ON BENNU.
PROTRUDING OVER 70FEET BEN BEN
SAXON IS SO TALL IT WAS FIRST
DEKED FROM EARTH NOW WE CAN
APPRECIATE THE MONUMENTAL
FEATURE IN DETAIL USING DATA TAT
FROM OSIRIS-REX.
SCATTERED ACROSS THE SOUTHERN
HEMISPHERE AND BEAR THE
FINGERPRINT OF A MINERAL FOUND
IN ROCK THAT IS UNLIKELY TO BE
ON BENNU THESE BOULDERS MOST
LIKELY ORIGINATE ON THE LARGE
ASTEROID AND WERE DELIVERED TO
THE PARENT BODY THROUGH IMPACTS.
ALTHOUGH IT IS SMALLS IN SIZE,
ASTEROID BENNU IS PROVED TO BE A
FASCINATING WORLD ABUNDANT
GEOGRAPHIC FEATURES THAT DEFIED
OUR EXPECTATIONS THANKS TO
OSIRIS-REX WE CAN EXPLORE BENNU
TO UNCOVER THE COMPETITION, ITS
EVOLUTION AND THE ANCIENT
MEMORIES ARE THE ORIGINS OF THE
SOL SOLAR SYSTEM.
♪
♪ IT LOOKED LIKE WE THOUGHT IT
WOULD WITH A FEW BOULDERS STICK
OUT.
SURFACE WITH A FEW BOULDERS HER
THAT WHEN WE SAW IS VERY LITTLE
SAND.
WE SAW THESE MOUNTAIN.
WE SAW BOULDERS AND ROCK AND
VERY FEW AREAS THAT HAD SURFACE
WHAT WE DESIGNED TO.
WE HAVE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE.
WE ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO COLLECT
THE SAMPLE TO BRING IT BACK DOWN
TO EARTH FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION
BY SCIENTISTS IN ORDER TO
ACHIEVE OBJECTIVE.
THE OSIRIS-REX SPACECRAFT HAS
BEEN NAVIGATING FOR THE LAST TWO
YEARS STUDYING IT IN GREAT
DETAIL AND ALSO, OVERCOMING A
NUMBER OF CHALLENGES THAT BENNU
HAS PRESENTED LOOKING FOR
LOCATION ON BENNU WERE 50METERS
IN DIAMETER AND RELATIVELY NOT
AND COVERED WITH FIND GRAIN
MATERIAL.
BY FIND GRAIN MATERIAL I MEAN A
DIME OR SMALLER.
WE REAL SIZED NO SITES ON BEEN
KNEW THAT CAME CLOSE TO MEETING
THIS CRITERIA.
EVERYWHERE WE LOOKED WAS TOO
SMALL AND COVERED SO WE HAD TO
FLY A NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL OVER
THE ASTEROIDS AND RETHINK OUR
ENTIRE PLAN FOR GRABBING THE
SAMPLE.
AFTER OBSERVATIONS OF BENNU WE
HAD TO DOWN SELECT THE FORESIGHT
AND GO BACK TO SURVEY IF YOU ARE
HER TO SEE LOOK THE FINAL PRIME
A SAMPLE SITE.
THE FIRST IMPRESSION IS
NIGHTINGALE US THE LAST PLACE
WANTED TO GO.
WE SAW ONE, ONE OF THE MOST
SAMPLE SITES AND, TO, WE WERE
OVER PERFORMING IN THE
NAVIGATION CAPPING IN OUR
ABILITY TO CONTACT.
NATURAL FEATURE TRACKING WORKS A
LOT LOOK THE HUMAN MIND AND THAT
WE PICK UP LANDMARK ALONG THE
WAY AS WE DESCEND WE LOOK AT
FEATURES ON THE GROUND AND
PROGRAM THE COMPUTER TO
RECOGNIZE CERTAIN FEATURES AND
TAKES A PICTURE.
THIS FEATURE IS NOT WHERE PICKED
IT TO BE AND TOUGH THE SIDE AND
UPDATES THE POSITION BASED ON
WHERE IT IS POINTED AND WHERE
THAT FEATURE SHOWS UP IN THE
POSITION.
>> THE EVENT IS OUR BENNU WE
START WITH A SERIES OF MANEUVERS
ONE OF THEM BEING THE CHECKPOINT
BURN WHICH IS WHERE WE ACTUALLY
CHECK OUR POSITION VELOCITY IN
RELATION TO THE SAMPLE SITES
THEN THE MATCH POINT BURN WILL
BE RELIVE TO THE SURFACE SAN TEN
MINUTES AFTER THIS WE MADE
CONTACT WITH THE TAG AND FIRE
THEN BACK AWAY THEN WE HOPE TO
GET AT LEAST 60-GRAMS THIS THEN
ABLE TO STORE THAT AND BRING
BACK DOWN EARTH AND SEVERAL
THINGS WE COULD GO WRONG IN ON
THE FIRST TRY.
WE DON'T ONLY GET ONE SHOT WE
HAVE THREE BOLTS ONBOARD SO DO
THREE ATTEMPTS IF NEEDED WE GO
THROUGH SEVERAL.
AND SO WE HAD TO LOOK ALL AROUND
THE SURFACE AND IDENTIFY THE
ROCKS AND BOULDERS IF THE
SPACECRAFT WERE TO TIP OVER UP
25DEGREES AND COME INTO CONTACT
TO BE DAMAGED WE HAD TO DEVELOP
AL HAZARD MAP WE PROGRAM IN AND
IF YOU ARE GETTING TOO CLOSE WE
BACK AWAY FROM THE AND COME BACK
TO DO THIS ANOTHER DAY.
EVERYTHING MAY WORK PERFECTLY.
WE COME DOWN WE TOP OF THE
SURFACE WHERE WE WANT TO.
WE FIRE THE GAS BOTTLE BUT AREA
WE CONTACT IS COVERED IN LARGE
ROCK.
SO THOSE ROCKS WOULD FIND GRAIN
MATERIAL FROM BEING STIRRED UP
AND CAPTURED IN THE FLAG.
SO NEAR SIMILAR SCENARIO AND
BECOME TIPPED UP AND IN THAT
CASE THE GAS BOLT FIRE MUCH OF
THAT ESCAPES OUT THE SIDE AND
NOT TURNING UP THE TOOL WE WANT
TO CAPTURE THE TAG IS REALLY
EXCITE BE A THE EXCITEMENT FOR
OUR TEAM DOESN'T END THERE.
WE HAVE TO VERIFY WE HAVE PROPER
SAMPLE.
FIRST WE ARE GOING TO IMAGE THE
HEAD BY STICKING IN FRONT THE
CAMERAS THEN DO MANEUVER CALLED
THE SAMPLE AND STICK OUTED THINK
ARM AND PEN!
THE SPACECRAFT TO DECIDE.
AND RETURN HOME AND WE HAVE TO
TRY AGAIN.
THIS IS CULMINATION OF A LOT OF
IT IS REALLY EXCITED TO KNOW
WE'RE FINALLY GOING TO BE ABLE
TO TOUCH THE SURFACE OF THE
ASTEROID AND COLLECT THE SAMPLE
TO RETURN BACK TO EARTH.
♪
THE OBSERVATORY.
THEN, THEN AS OSIRIS-REX
SPACECRAFT MADE THE WAY TO BENNU
THE ASTEROID GREW DAY IN DETAIL
TO SURPRISINGLY RUGGED WORLD
LITTERED WITH GIANT BOULDERS.
BOULDERS OSIRIS REX ARRIVED AND
BEGAN SERVING FOR THE LEADERS UP
TO THE TOUCH AND GO SAMPLE
COLLECTION EVENTS.
THE SPACECRAFT DISCOVERED THE
BOULDERS THE SIDE OF BUILDINGS.
WHILE OBSERVING BENNU WE MADE
SOME UNEXPECTED DISCOVERIES.
OSIRIS-REX SPOTTED PIECES OF
ROCK BURSTING OFF BENNU AND INTO
SPACE THE SPACECRAFT WAS BE ABLE
TO OBSERVE THE ENTIRE LIFE CYCLE
OF AL NATURAL SATELLITE ENTERING
INTO ORBIT AND RETURNING BACK TO
THE SURFACE.
THE DISCOVERY WAS MADE
INSTRUMENT ABOUT THE SIZE OF A
SHOEBOX.
THE X RAY IMAGING SPECTROMETER
AND DEPENDING X RAYS RADIATING A
POINT OFF THE EDGE.
OSIRIS-REX IMAGE BET LEARN EARTH
AND OUR OWN MOON USING THIS HIGH
RESOLUTION AND ABLE TO CREATE
THE SURFACE OF THE VOICE TO AND
USE NIGHT CREATE A 360 OF THE IN
AND USING EXTENSIVE CAT LOT
OSIRIS-REX NAVIGATED ITSELF DO
IN THE SURFACE FOR SEVERAL
COLLECTION USED NATURAL FEATURE.
AND THE LAND MARKS WITH THE
CATALOGS TO ENSURE WITS ON THE
RIGHT TRACK.
IT PERFORMED A SOMEBODY RIFTS
BURNS TO NAVIGATE ITSELF.
AT 6:08:00P.M. EASTERN ON
OCTOBER20th, 2020 OSIRIS-REX
TAGGED NIGHTINGALE WITHIN ONE
METER THE ONBOARD CAMERAS
CAPTURED INCREDIBLE FOOTAGE OF
THE TOUCH AND GO MECHANISM THE
SURFACE.
OVERFLOWING FROM THE TAG TEAM
AND THE TEAM IS CONFIDENT IT
THE MISSION REQUIREMENT
COLLECTING GRAMS OF MATERIAL.
ON OCTOBER29 TONIGHT E STOWED
FOR THE RETURN TO EARTH.
OSIRIS-REX FOR THE LAST TIME ON
APRIL7th, 2021 AND WILL
DEPART ON MAY10th ON THE
2-YEAR JOURNEY DELIVER THE
SAMPLE HOST EARTH.
COLLECT 60-GRAMS FROM THE
SURFACE OF THE NEW ASTEROID
BENNU.
THE ROCKY SURFACE PRESENTED
CHALLENGE FOR THE ORIGINAL PHASE
AID FROM THE TOUCH AND GO AMPLE
ACQUISITION EVENT AND AS
ALTERNATIVE THE PROJECT
DEVELOPED ONBOARD OBTUSE KELL IS
ABOUT APPROACH CALLED MATURE FEE
TRACKING.
AND REQUIRES 3D MAPS AND TO
BUILD THE THREE DIMENSIONAL MAPS
WE NEED MANY OF THE PATCHES OF
SURFACE ON BENNU ITSELF.
>> AL THE SURFACE WE HAVE DONE
THOUGHT THE MISSION HAVE BEEN A
DISTANCE BETWEEN SEVERAL
KILOMETERS DOWN TO 200 FLIRT THE
SURFACE.
AND BAITED ON THOSE PERSPECTIVES
WHEN A THE SHADING OF THAT DREAM
IS POSSIBLE TO THE 3D MODEL
SIMILAR TO HAVE WE HAVE TWO EYES
AND ALLOW US TO HAVE DEPTH
PERCEPTION IN AND REQUIRES
MULTIPLE FEATURES ACROSS THE
FIELD TOLL HAVE A DEPTH
PERCEPTION.
THE ORIGINAL TAG ACCURACY
REQUIREMENT WITH THE TOUCH THE
SURFACE WITHIN 50-METER DIAMTER
CIRCLE ARE TO BE MUCH BETTER AND
EVEN WITH WITHIN THE 10-METER
AREA.
RIGHT NOW WE ARE WORKING ON
SOFTWARE PATCH AND HELP US
AVOID.
WHEN WE DO NATURAL FEATURE
TRACKING THAT IS ALL AUTONOMOUS
ONBOARD THE SPACECRAFT WHERE WE
LOAD THE FEATURES TO THE
SPACECRAFT.
AND AS THE SPACECRAFT MAKES THE
PROGRESS DOWN TO THE SAMPLE AND
THEN LOCATING THOSE LAND MARKS
TO MAKE SURE WE ARE ON THE RIGHT
TRACK WE KNOW SISTING UP AND
BACK AWAY AND WAVE OFF TO TRAY
AGAIN.
♪
♪ IT PEARCE SOME PIECES OF
ASTEROID ENDED UP AND ASTEROID
BENNU AND ACCORDING TO
OBSERVATIONS FROM NASA SEA
OSIRIS-REX SPACECRAFT THE NEW
RESULTING SHED LIGHT ON THE
ORBITAL DANCE AND THE VIOLENT
ORIGIN OF BENNY WHICH IS A
RUBBLE PILE THAT COALESCED FROM
THE FRAGMENTS OF THE COLLISION
SIX BOWLERS FROM 5 TO 14FEET
WERE DISCOVERED ACROSS THE
SOUTHERN HOME STEER THESE ARE
MUCH BRIGHTER THAN THE REST OF
BONY WITH SOME APPEARING TEN
TIMES BRIGHTER THAN THE UNUSUAL
BOULDERS FIRST CAUGHT THE TAM'S
EYE INTERESTS THE OSIRIS-REX AND
THE TEAM ANALYZED THE BOULDERS
USING THE ONBOARD WHICH
CELEBRATING LIGHT SINCE THEY
HAVE SIGNATURE PATTERNS OF
BRIGHT AND DARK ACROSS THE RANGE
OF COLORS AND SPECTROMETER AND
THE SIGNATURE WAS CHARACTER IS
FROM SMALL THAT ARE FRAGMENTS
BLASTED AND SUSTAINED
SIGNIFICANT ASTEROID IMPACT THE
TEAM TESTED A FEW DIFFERENT
SERIES TO DETERMINE THE ORIGIN.
FIRST IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE
BOULDERS WERE ORIGINALLY PART OF
BENNY OR THE PARENT BODY HOWEVER
THIS IS UNLIKELY BASED ON HOUT
IS CREATED THIS MINERAL FORMS
WHEN IT MELTS AT HIGH
TEMPERATURE AND BENNU COMPOSED
OF WATER MINERALS.
NEXT, THE TEAM CONSIDERED
LOCALIZED HEATING PERHAPS FROM
IMPACT THE SCALE OF IMPACT
NEEDED TO CREATE LARGE BOULDERS
IS MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN
EXPECTED TO TAKE PLACE IN THE
MAIN ASTEROID FILM SO THE TEAM
RULED OUT IN A STEAD CONSIDERED
OTHER RICH ASTEROIDS THAT MAY
HAVE IMPLANTED THIS OPPORTUNITY
TO BEEN
>> THIS IS POSSIBLE BECAUSE AS
ASTEROIDS MOVING THERE THE SOLAR
SYSTEM THEIR ORBITS CAN BE
ALTERED IN MANY WAY BASS BY THE
PULL OF GRAVITY IMPACTS THEN
SLIGHT PRESSURE SUNLIGHT THE NEW
RESULTS HELPED SPIN DOWN THE
COMPLEX JOURNEY BENNY AND OTHERS
TRACE THROUGH THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
ON NOVEMBER11th, 2019 WORK
ON THE OSIRIS REX MISSION.
THE DETECTION OF A BLACK HOLE.
30,000 SLIGHT YEARS AWAY.
THE DETECTION WAS MADE TO FIND
INSTRUMENTS ABOUT THE SIZE OF A
SHOEBOX.
1:00 THIS IS REX THE X-RAY
MAJORING SPECTROMETER AND
PROPOSE AND BUILT BY TEAMS AT
MIT AND HARTFORD AND DESIGNED TO
DETERMINE THE ABUNDANCE OF
ELEMENTS ON THE SURFACE.
REX DINES A MASK WITH A KNOWN
PATTERN OF OWN CLOSED HOLE AS
X-RAYS PASS THROUGH THE MASK
SHADOW SHIFTS AS IT HITS CENTER
BASED ON THE SHIFTING SCIENTISTS
CAN DETERMINE WHERE WILL THE
X-RAY CAME FROM.
WHILE REX WAS OBSERVING THE
ASTEROIDS SEVERAL MILLION MILE
MILES FROM EARTH AND DETECTED
FROM A POINT OFF THE EDGE AT
PLACE WHERE NEW PREVIOUS OBJECT
HAD BEEN CATALOGED THIS GLOWING
OBJECT TURNED OUT TO BE A BLACK
HOLE AND AS MATTER FROM ORBITING
STAR IS PULLED TO A SPINNING
AND ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF ENERGY
FORM IS RELEASED IN THE PROCESS.
THIS BLACK HOLE WAS DISCOVERED A
WEAK EARLIER PI THE TELESCOPE.
AND ALSO ON THE ISS NASA'S STAR
COMPOSITION AND NICER IDENTIFIED
THE X RAY BLAST.
ANDS AT MS OFFICER SHIELDS FROM
X RAYS SO THESE TYPE OF BLASTS
LOOK THE ONE EMITTED FROM THE
BLACK HOLE CAN ONLY REALLY BE
OBSERVED FROM SPACE.
AND WE NEED THIS PLANETARY SPACE
AROUND THE ASTEROIDS.
♪
♪ SINCE LATE 2018 NASA'S
OSIRIS-REX MISSION HAS BEEN
EXPLORING BENNU.
OSIRIS-REX CAPTURED CLOSE-UP
MAJOR 3D MAPS OF THE ROCKY
TERRAIN.
STUDIED THE GIANT CHEMICAL
MAKEUP AND WITNESSED PARTICLES
BEING EJECT MOOD SPACE.
IN OCTOBER OF 2020 THE
SPACECRAFT VENTURE GRABBED THE
SAMPLE OF THE ASTEROID THAT WILL
RETURN TO EARTH IN 2023.
NOW THAT THE GOALS ARE COMPLETE.
THE TIME HAS COME FOR OSIRIS-REX
TO FUTURE THE ENGINES TO BID
FAREWELL TO ASTEROID BENNU.
♪