Space Missions to Follow in 2016: OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return!

There are lots of exciting missions happening in 2016. Missions to Jupiter and Mars, a solar sail, and the latest in my series: OSIRIS-REx, a mission designed to map Asteroid Bennu, and return a sample to Earth. 

Artist's depiction of OSIRIS-REx at asteroid Bennu. Image Credit 

I'll admit, this mission didn't sound super exciting to me at first glace. We've sent spacecrafts to survey asteroids before. However, as soon as I started reading about the ambitious plan to take a sample from the surface of the asteroid and return it to Earth, I got pretty excited. 

OSIRIS-REx assembled. Image Credit 

OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer) will launch in September 2016. It will enter orbit around the Sun, flying by Earth in 2017 to steal a little momentum from Earth, speeding up and changing its orbital inclination, putting it on path to Bennu. The spacecraft will begin approaching Bennu in August of 2018, falling into a synchronous orbit. For nearly a year it will survey Bennu, creating a detailed map of its surface and analyzing its chemical composition.

The asteroid Vesta was completely mapped by the Dawn mission, which is currently exploring the dwarf planet Ceres. Image Credit 

The real excitement of the mission will begin in July 2019, when the spacecraft will make subtle orbit changes to get closer to Bennu. An arm will extend from the spacecraft and make contact with the asteroid for 5 seconds. The arm will release a burst of nitrogen gas, causing loose rocks and surface soil to fly up. Some of this will be collected on the sampler head. It has enough nitrogen for three attempts. OSIRIS-REx has the ability to collect anywhere from 2 ounces to 4 pounds of material. After collecting the material, the arm will retract, and the collector head with the sample will be stowed in a compartment on the spacecraft. 

Testing the arm. Image Credit

When Bennu and OSIRIS-REx are in a good spot in their orbit for the spacecraft to return to Earth (sometime in 2021) OSIRIS-REx will leave Bennu and begin the journey home. It should get back to Earth sometime in 2023. The little sample return capsule will detach from the spacecraft. It has a strong heat shield, so will free fall through Earth's atmosphere. About 2 miles from the surface it will deploy a parachute, and land in the Utah desert. Check out this fantastic mission timeline for more details! 

The capsule from the Stardust mission that returned samples of a comet. Image Credit 

In clean labs, scientists will analyze the sample's chemical components, helping us understand the earliest stages of the Solar System formation. Scientists are particularly interested in looking for amino acids and sugars, the building blocks for life. If they exist on some of the oldest pieces of our Solar System, it could indicate that the early Solar System was rich with the stuff needed for life to evolve. 

Bennu is also a potentially hazardous asteroid. It has a relatively high probability (still only a 0.07% chance) of impacting the Earth late in the 22nd century. This mission will determine the asteroid's physical and chemical properties, which will help future scientists know how to deflect the asteroid if necessary. 

OSIRIS-REx is a great example of how science is a long game. This mission took years of planning and testing, and then will take over seven years to complete! I'm happy I wrote this blog now and got excited about the mission in the beginning, because it will be something to look forward to and follow for years. You can always learn about space and science at the Dome Planetarium at the Peoria Riverfront Museum. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for daily updates!   

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