NASA's Spacecraft to drop first-ever asteroid sample on Earth in Utah Desert | Where to watch & more
NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is set to make an extraordinary delivery — a pristine sample collected from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu. This marks NASA's first-ever return of an asteroid sample from space, an event that will be live-streamed starting at 10 a.m. ET on Sunday.
OSIRIS-REx's Mission So Far
Launched in 2016 and arriving at asteroid Bennu in 2018, the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft embarked on an ambitious mission — to collect a sample of asteroid rocks and soil. This mission culminated in 2020 when the spacecraft successfully collected the sample. In May 2021, OSIRIS-REx commenced its long journey back to Earth, carrying with it an estimated 8.8 ounces of asteroid material.
The Sample's Dramatic Reentry
If all goes according to plan, the spacecraft's sample capsule will approach Earth from a distance of 63,000 miles (102,000 kilometers) above the planet's surface. It is expected to enter Earth's atmosphere at an astonishing speed of about 27,650 miles per hour (44,498 kilometers per hour) at 10:42 a.m. ET on Sunday. To ensure a safe descent, parachutes will deploy, slowing the capsule to a gentle touchdown at 11 miles per hour (17.7 kilometers per hour). Approximately 13 minutes after entering the atmosphere, the sample is anticipated to land in the Defense Department's Utah Test and Training Range.
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Recovery and Assessment
Once the capsule has safely landed, four helicopters will transport recovery and research teams to the landing site. These teams will conduct aerial assessments to verify the capsule's condition and ensure it hasn't sustained any damage during reentry. Safety precautions will be paramount; the initial recovery team, equipped with protective gear, will confirm that the capsule has
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