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NASA Invites Public to Share Excitement of Asteroid Sample Return

NASA Communications

Sep 21, 2023
Article
Here, the training model of the sample return capsule is seen is seen during a drop test in preparation for the retrieval of the sample return capsule from NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, at the Department of Defense's Utah Test and Training Range. The sample was collected from asteroid Bennu in October 2020 by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft and will return to Earth on September 24th, landing under parachute at the Utah Test and Training Range.
Here, the training model of the sample return capsule is seen during a drop test in preparation for the retrieval of the sample return capsule from NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, at the Department of Defense’s Utah Test and Training Range. The sample was collected from asteroid Bennu in October 2020 by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft and will return to Earth on September 24th, landing under parachute at the Utah Test and Training Range.
NASA/Keegan Barber

NASA is inviting the public to take part in virtual activities ahead of the OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer) asteroid sample return mission. This mission will help scientists investigate how planets formed and how life began, as well as improve our understanding of asteroids that could impact Earth.

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx, the first U.S. mission to collect a sample from an asteroid, will return to Earth on Sunday, Sept. 24, with material from the asteroid Bennu. When it arrives, the spacecraft will release the capsule containing pieces of Bennu over Earth’s atmosphere. The capsule will parachute to the Department of Defense’s Utah Test and Training Range, where the OSIRIS-REx team will be waiting to retrieve it.

Members of the public can register to attend the sample return virtually. As a virtual guest, you will have access to curated resources and mission specific information delivered straight to your inbox. Following each activity, virtual guests are sent a mission specific collectable stamp for their virtual guest passport. Don’t miss this exclusive stamp! It’s only our second event stamp that’s not a rocket!

Live coverage will begin at 10 a.m. EDT on Sept. 24 and air on NASA Television and the agency’s website, as well as YouTube, X, Facebook,  and NASA’s App.

For the latest updates visit: OSIRIS-REx Blog