NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is about to make history by delivering the first-ever asteroid samples collected by the agency.
The spacecraft, which embarked on its daring mission in 2016, is closing in on Earth now.
It carries precious cargo, samples collected from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu, and is set to make a historic landing in the Utah desert.
Here is everything you need to know about this extraordinary mission and what to expect in the coming hours.
OSIRIS-REx's Remarkable Journey
The OSIRIS-REx mission, short for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer, has been a seven-year odyssey of discovery.
Launched in 2016, its primary goal was to rendezvous with asteroid Bennu, a 1,650-foot-wide space rock, and collect samples that could unravel the mysteries of our solar system's early days.
The spacecraft has diligently observed Bennu for the past two years, ensuring the perfect moment for its audacious sample collection.
In 2020, it executed a series of precise maneuvers to collect surface materials from Bennu's rugged terrain, an accomplishment that had never before been achieved.
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The Precious Cargo and Its Fiery Descent
Today, at 6:42 a.m. EDT, OSIRIS-REx released a capsule carrying these invaluable asteroid samples. The capsule now hurtles toward Earth at an astonishing speed of around 27,650 miles per hour.
As it reenters our atmosphere, it will endure temperatures exceeding 5000°F (2760°C), enveloping it in what NASA calls "a superheated ball of fire."
However, the spacecraft has been engineered with a heat shield to protect the space rocks, ensuring they remain at a temperature similar to their environment on Bennu.
About two minutes after entering the atmosphere, the first parachute will deploy at an altitude of 102,300 feet, helping to slow the capsule down to subsonic speeds.
Six minutes later, as the capsule approaches just a mile above Earth's surface, further parachutes will open, enabling a gentle touchdown at 11 miles per hour.
Follow these events live on NASA's official stream on YouTube.
Race Against Time in the Utah Desert
BBC tells us that once the capsule safely lands in a predetermined area within the Utah Test and Training Range near Salt Lake City, scientists, engineers, and military personnel will initiate a race against time.
Carried by four helicopters, they will dash across the desert to recover the capsule as swiftly as possible. Their mission: to prevent terrestrial contamination of the precious samples.
The team will track the capsule's descent and pinpoint its location using thermal and optical instruments. Then, with precision, they'll load it into a metal crate, carefully wrap it in plastic and tarpaulin, and whisk it off to a temporary facility.
It is a mission worthy of a Hollywood action film, as every second counts to protect the integrity of the asteroid samples.
Scientific Significance
The OSIRIS-REx mission is not merely about securing asteroid samples but unlocking profound insights into the history of our solar system.
Once safely in the hands of scientists, these dusty materials are expected to reveal vital information about the formation of our planet 4.5 billion years ago. Moreover, they may hold clues to the origins of life on Earth itself.
Stay tuned for more updates as we witness OSIRIS-REx's return from the depths of space with a precious cargo that may hold the key to unraveling the mysteries of our solar system.
Stay posted here at Tech Times.
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