OSIRIS-REx

Karman Space & Defense Celebrates Crucial Role in the Success of NASA's OSIRIS-REx Mission

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, December 5, 2023

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., Dec. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Karman Space & Defense ("Karman"), a concept-to-production solutions provider for integrated dynamic systems, assemblies, and advanced manufacturing, is proud to be a key supplier and instrumental contributor to the success of NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission. Karman's contributions extend across the design, development, manufacturing, and qualification of essential hardware on both the OSIRIS-REx capsule and United Launch Alliance's (ULA's) Atlas V rocket, both integral to this historic mission.

Key Points: 
  • After seven years, the mission successfully culminated in the safe return of asteroid samples.
  • Today, we celebrate not only NASA's achievement, but also the pivotal role played by Karman Space & Defense.
  • Karman remains committed to advancing space exploration and continues to manufacture and support both Atlas and future Vulcan launches.
  • Moreover, Karman eagerly looks for additional opportunities to support the launch and space industry in various capacities and contribute to the expansion of human knowledge beyond Earth's boundaries," said Tony Koblinski, CEO of Karman Space & Defense.

Statement of the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, October 11, 2023

Earlier today, NASA offered a first look at the Bennu sample from the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Key Points: 
  • Earlier today, NASA offered a first look at the Bennu sample from the Johnson Space Center in Houston.
  • "The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft recently delivered to Earth what is believed to be a remnant of our solar system's formation.
  • As part of the OSIRIS-REx mission, Canadian instrument OLA scanned and mapped asteroid Bennu in more detail than any other celestial object.
  • Data from OLA helped the mission experts select the best site from which to collect the sample.

NASA's Bennu Asteroid Sample Contains Carbon, Water

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, October 11, 2023

"The OSIRIS-REx sample is the biggest carbon-rich asteroid sample ever delivered to Earth and will help scientists investigate the origins of life on our own planet for generations to come," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

Key Points: 
  • "The OSIRIS-REx sample is the biggest carbon-rich asteroid sample ever delivered to Earth and will help scientists investigate the origins of life on our own planet for generations to come," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.
  • The sample has made it back to Earth, but there is still so much science to come – science like we've never seen before."
  • Although more work is needed to understand the nature of the carbon compounds found, the initial discovery bodes well for future analyses of the asteroid sample.
  • The goal of the OSIRIS-REx sample collection was 60 grams of asteroid material.

7 years, billions of kilometres, a handful of dust: NASA just brought back the largest-ever asteroid sample

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, September 26, 2023

Inside is likely to be the largest ever sample of dust and rock returned from an asteroid.

Key Points: 
  • Inside is likely to be the largest ever sample of dust and rock returned from an asteroid.
  • Extracted and brought back with great technical ingenuity from an asteroid called Bennu, scientists will now study in search of clues about the origins of the Solar System and life itself.

The origins of the Solar System – and life

    • Most asteroids are the rocky leftovers of failed planets and destructive collisions in the early Solar System, orbiting in a belt between Mars and Jupiter.
    • These primitive bodies – some more than 4.5 billion years old – can also shed light on the origins of life, because they tell us about the distribution of water, minerals and other elements such as carbon.
    • There is also an element of self-interest in studying these asteroids, to understand the risk they may pose if they are heading Earth’s way.
    • There are more than 70,000 meteorites in collections around the world, but we know the origins of less than 0.1% of them.

Bringing pieces of space back to Earth

    • They can bring pieces from a different planet or asteroid back to Earth to study.
    • The first such mission was to the Moon, bringing back lunar samples for analysis.
    • The Hayabusa mission, launched in 2003 by the Japanese space agency, JAXA, returned less than 1 milligram from asteroid Itokawa.
    • We will know for sure once the sample is carefully examined at Johnson Space Centre over the coming days.

The sound of fireballs

    • There are six OSIRIS-REx mission scientists from Curtin (including one of us – Nick Timms), and they will be among those receiving the first wave of samples in the coming weeks.
    • Read more:
      The Hayabusa2 spacecraft is about to drop a chunk of asteroid in the Australian outback

      Fireballs, or really bright shooting stars from large space rocks, are quite rare and impossible to predict.

    • When objects from outer space enter the atmosphere, travelling much faster than the speed of sound, they ignite the air to create a fireball and also trigger other less-studied phenomena such as shockwaves – which can be hazardous.

What’s next?

    • Both of these spacecraft dropped their precious samples to Earth and have continued on with the aim of future asteroid fly-bys.
    • The mission, now renamed “OSIRIS-APEX”, has already begun to redirect itself towards an asteroid called Apophis, which it will intercept not long after the asteroid zooms past Earth in April 2029.

OSIRIS-REx Sample Capsule Safely Touches Down with NASA's First-Ever Asteroid Sample

Retrieved on: 
Sunday, September 24, 2023

UTAH TEST AND TRAINING RANGE, Utah, Sept. 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Following a rapid and red-hot descent through Earth's atmosphere, NASA's OSIRIS-REx sample return capsule touched down in the desert at 8:52 a.m. MT today, returning NASA's first-ever asteroid sample. The capsule is estimated to hold about a cup of material from Bennu, a carbon-rich asteroid. Scientists hope it will teach us more about the origin of organics that led to life on Earth and help us better understand planet formation.

Key Points: 
  • The capsule is estimated to hold about a cup of material from Bennu, a carbon-rich asteroid.
  • Just prior to landing, the capsule entered the atmosphere traveling more than 27,000 mph.
  • "This particular sample return is monumental – scientists are about to open a time capsule with some of the earliest history of our solar system inside."
  • Extracting a sample from the asteroid by "tagging" it on Oct. 20, 2020.

Touch down - Asteroid Bennu sample successfully lands on Earth

Retrieved on: 
Sunday, September 24, 2023

ET, an asteroid sample collected as part of NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission landed in the Utah desert.

Key Points: 
  • ET, an asteroid sample collected as part of NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission landed in the Utah desert.
  • In return for the Canadian Space Agency's (CSA) contribution to this mission, a portion of the asteroid material will go to Canada.
  • The sample retrieved on asteroid Bennu could hold the answer to some of the most fundamental questions about the solar system's history and the origins of water and life on Earth.
  • Canada will become the fifth country in the world to get and curate a sample collected in space.

NASA's First Asteroid Sample Has Landed, Now Secure in Clean Room

Retrieved on: 
Sunday, September 24, 2023

Getting the sample under a "nitrogen purge," as scientists call it, was one of the OSIRIS-REx team's most critical tasks today.

Key Points: 
  • Getting the sample under a "nitrogen purge," as scientists call it, was one of the OSIRIS-REx team's most critical tasks today.
  • "Congratulations to the OSIRIS-REx team on a picture-perfect mission – the first American asteroid sample return in history – which will deepen our understanding of the origin of our solar system and its formation.
  • "With OSIRIS-REx, Psyche launch in a couple of weeks, DART's one year anniversary, and Lucy's first asteroid approach in November, Asteroid Autumn is in full swing.
  • To learn more about the asteroid sample recovery mission visit:
    View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nasas-first-asteroid-sample-has...

OSIRIS-REx Lands in Your Post Office

Retrieved on: 
Friday, September 22, 2023

Opportunities from OSIRIS-REx have changed my life, and remembering that I am a known part of that baffles me sometimes."

Key Points: 
  • Opportunities from OSIRIS-REx have changed my life, and remembering that I am a known part of that baffles me sometimes."
  • "We are exceptionally pleased that the Postal Service will commemorate this journey of exploration and help NASA share the excitement of discovery with the public."
  • OSIRIS-REx is an acronym for the mission's goals: Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer.
  • Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through the Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps , by calling 844-737-7826, by mail through USA Philatelic or at select Post Office locations nationwide.

NASA Finalizes Coverage for First US Asteroid Sample Landing

Retrieved on: 
Monday, September 18, 2023

WASHINGTON, Sept. 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The first asteroid sample collected in space by NASA will arrive on Earth Sunday, Sept. 24, and there are multiple events leading up to its landing.

Key Points: 
  • WASHINGTON, Sept. 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The first asteroid sample collected in space by NASA will arrive on Earth Sunday, Sept. 24, and there are multiple events leading up to its landing.
  • Watch online at:
    In addition to the English broadcast, NASA will stream coverage of the landing beginning at 10 a.m. EDT (8 a.m. MDT) in Spanish on X , Facebook , and YouTube .
  • Coverage will air on NASA TV, the NASA app, and the agency's website .
  • To learn more about the asteroid sample recovery mission visit:
    View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nasa-finalizes-coverage-for-fir...

OKSI Set to Fly SAMI to Observe OSIRIS-REx Re-entry, Following Artemis I and SpaceX Missions

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, August 22, 2023

OKSI is advancing the frontiers of space exploration, embarking on yet another collaboration with NASA & the SCIFLI team.

Key Points: 
  • OKSI is advancing the frontiers of space exploration, embarking on yet another collaboration with NASA & the SCIFLI team.
  • Previously, SAMI operated from a nose-mounted spherical gimbal on NASA's WB-57 aircraft to observe the Artemis I Moon Mission launch and SpaceX's Starship's first launch attempt.
  • Since the Artemis I and Starship missions, SAMI gained a UV-Visible imaging spectrometer to enhance its capabilities.
  • The integration of SAMI onto their Gulfstreams, along with tracking systems and optical-quality windows has opened doors to more flexible and responsive SAMI support for future NASA missions.