Planets and Moons Universe ID: 12318

Bennu Arrival

Released on December 3, 2018

After traveling through space for more than 2 years and over 2 billion kilometers, NASA’s Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft arrived at its destination, asteroid Bennu, on Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. The spacecraft will spend almost a year surveying the asteroid with five scientific instruments with the goal of selecting a location that is safe and scientifically interesting to collect the sample. OSIRIS-REx will return the sample to Earth in September 2023.

This video shows the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft’s view of Bennu during the final phase of its journey to the asteroid. From Aug. 17 through Nov. 27 the spacecraft’s PolyCam camera imaged Bennu almost daily as the spacecraft traveled 1.4 million miles (2.2 million km) toward the asteroid. The final images were obtained from a distance of around 40 miles (65 km). During this period, OSIRIS-REx completed four maneuvers slowing the spacecraft’s velocity from approximately 1,100 mph (491 m/sec) to 0.10 mph (0.04 m/sec) relative to Bennu, which resulted in the slower approach speed at the end of the video.

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

This series of images taken by the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft shows Bennu in one full rotation from a distance of around 50 miles (80 km). The spacecraft’s PolyCam camera obtained the thirty-six 2.2-millisecond frames over a period of four hours and 18 minutes.

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

For More Information

NASA.gov

https://www.asteroidmission.org/

Credits

Dante Lauretta (The University of Arizona): Lead Scientist
Bashar Rizk (The University of Arizona): Scientist
Daniella DellaGiustina (The University of Arizona/LPL): Scientist
David Ladd (USRA): Producer
Dan Gallagher (USRA): Producer

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center