On Sept. 10, NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft briefly fired its ACS (attitude control system) thrusters to point itself toward Earth, putting it on course to release its sample capsule, carrying rocks and dust from asteroid Bennu, from 63,000 miles (or 102,000 kilometers) above Earth's surface on Sunday, Sept. 24.
This graphic shows the Earth return trajectory for the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft and for the sample capsule, after the spacecraft releases it above Earth on Sept. 24. The yellow diamonds indicate the dates of spacecraft maneuvers that slightly adjust its trajectory to get it closer, and then pointing at, and then above Earth.
Yesterday's trajectory-correction maneuver changed the spacecraft's velocity about a ½ mph relative to Earth. Without this tiny but critical shift, the spacecraft and its asteroid cargo would have flown past Earth. But now, the spacecraft is set up to release the capsule to enter the atmosphere just off the coast of California at 8:42 a.m. MDT / 10:42 a.m. EDT.
Traveling at a precise speed and angle, it will land approximately 13 minutes after release in a 36-mile by 8.5-mile predetermined area on the Department of Defense's Utah Test and Training Range southwest of Salt Lake City. Meanwhile, about 20 minutes after releasing the sample capsule, the spacecraft will fire its engines to divert past Earth and onto its next mission to asteroid Apophis:
Deutschland Neuesten Nachrichten, Deutschland Schlagzeilen
Similar News:Sie können auch ähnliche Nachrichten wie diese lesen, die wir aus anderen Nachrichtenquellen gesammelt haben.
OSIRIS-REx asteroid probe heads toward Earth for Sept. 24 sample deliveryOSIRIS-REx put itself on course for Earth with a crucial thruster firing on Sunday (Sept. 10).
Weiterlesen »
OSIRIS-Rex's Dante Lauretta shares final preparations for Sept. 24 asteroid-sample returnExtensive practice sessions have been orchestrated to properly handle the container and its asteroid collectibles once the spacecraft is on terra firma.
Weiterlesen »
More than $2M raised for Northeast Ohio children battling life-threatening illnessesThe event began Saturday, Sept. 9 and finished Sunday, Sept. 10.
Weiterlesen »
Here's how the Sept. 24 asteroid sample delivery will workEarly morning on Sunday, Sept. 24, the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft's sample capsule will come face-to-face with Earth's atmosphere for the first time since the mission's 2016 launch. On board are an estimated 8.8 ounces, or 250 grams, of rocky material collected from the surface of Bennu in 2020—NASA's first asteroid sample and the largest ever collected in space.
Weiterlesen »
ABC 10News Pinpoint Weather for Sun. Sept. 10, 2023: Warm and cloudy today, cooler midweekWarm conditions will continue again today, along with a chance for sprinkles to light showers across the county.
Weiterlesen »