OSIRIS-REx

Lore & Background

The spacecraft spent two years mapping the asteroid's surface to select a sample site. Bennu was chosen because it is a 'time capsule' from the birth of the Solar System, a B-type asteroid with a very dark surface, considered primitive and rich in carbonaceous material. The mission detected hydrated minerals in the form of clay on Bennu's surface.

Reader's Guide

OSIRIS-REx is significant as the first United States spacecraft to return samples from an asteroid, following Japanese missions Hayabusa and Hayabusa2. The returned material from Bennu, a primitive carbonaceous asteroid, is expected to provide insights into the formation and evolution of the Solar System, the initial stages of planet formation, and the source of organic compounds that may have led to life on Earth. The mission also demonstrated close-proximity operations, including orbiting Bennu at a record distance of about 1.75 km. The extended mission to Apophis will continue to study near-Earth asteroids. The mission's legacy includes advancing understanding of asteroid composition and the origins of organic molecules in space.

Did You Know?

• OSIRIS-REx was the first United States spacecraft to return samples from an asteroid.
• The spacecraft collected 121.6 grams of material from Bennu, exceeding the required 60 grams.
• Bennu is classified as a B-type asteroid, a sub-type of carbonaceous C-type asteroids.