NASA selects asteroid sample return mission
Posted: Thu, May 26, 2011, 7:20 AM ET (1120 GMT)
NASA announced Wednesday that it will launch a robotic mission in 2016 to fly to a near Earth asteroid and return a sample to Earth. The Origins-Spectral Interpretation-Resource Identification-Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission will be the third in NASA's New Frontier program of mid-range planetary science missions. OSIRIS-REx will launch in 2016 to fly to asteroid 1999 RQ36, rendezvousing with it in 2020. The spacecraft will survey the asteroid for about six months, then approach the surface and extend a sample arm, which will collect as much as two kilograms of regolith. That sample will be returned to Earth in a capsule landing in Utah in 2023. The total cost of the mission, including launch, is estimated to be $1 billion. OSIRIS-REx beat out proposals for missions to the Moon and Venus for the New Frontiers selection.
NASA announced Wednesday that it will launch a robotic mission in 2016 to fly to a near Earth asteroid and return a sample to Earth. The Origins-Spectral Interpretation-Resource Identification-Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission will be the third in NASA's New Frontier program of mid-range planetary science missions. OSIRIS-REx will launch in 2016 to fly to asteroid 1999 RQ36, rendezvousing with it in 2020. The spacecraft will survey the asteroid for about six months, then approach the surface and extend a sample arm, which will collect as much as two kilograms of regolith. That sample will be returned to Earth in a capsule landing in Utah in 2023. The total cost of the mission, including launch, is estimated to be $1 billion. OSIRIS-REx beat out proposals for missions to the Moon and Venus for the New Frontiers selection.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
FAA restricts hours for commercial launches during shutdown
Posted: Sun, Nov 9 9:05 AM ET (1405 GMT) China postpones Shenzhou-20 return on orbital debris concerns
Posted: Sun, Nov 9 8:58 AM ET (1358 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Saturday, November 15
Emirates to put Starlink on aircraft in major win for SpaceX
Bloomberg News — 5:11 am ET (1011 GMT) DOJ Issued Seizure Warrant to Starlink Over Satellite Internet Systems Used at Scam Compound
Wired News — 5:09 am ET (1009 GMT) New Glenn Rocket Aces Launch and Landing, Setting Up Space Force for More Options
Air and Space Forces Magazine — 5:06 am ET (1006 GMT) Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket landed its booster on a barge at sea – an achievement that will broaden the commercial spaceflight market
The Conversation — 5:05 am ET (1005 GMT) Second Viasat Broadband Satellite Enters Space
Aviation Week — 5:04 am ET (1004 GMT) |
