OSIRIS-Rex – Atlas V 411 (AV-067) – Canaveral SLC-41 – 08.09.2016 23:05 UTC

Автор Anatoly Zak, 26.05.2011 08:53:55

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tnt22

https://www.asteroidmission.org/20200414navcamcheckpoint/
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Sweeping View of Bennu's Northern Hemisphere

Captured on April 14 during the mission's Checkpoint Rehearsal, this image shows asteroid Bennu's northern hemisphere – the region where sample site Nightingale is located. Site Nightingale's crater, and the site itself, are both visible (upper center). This image was taken by the NavCam 2 camera on NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft from 377 ft (115 m) above the asteroid's surface. For reference, the large, tall boulder situated on the southeastern edge of the crater's rim is 43 feet (13 meters) on its longest axis, which is about the length of a bus.

NavCam 2, a panchromatic (black-and-white) imager, is one of three cameras comprising TAGCAMS (the Touch-and-Go Camera System), which is part of OSIRIS-REx's guidance, navigation, and control system. TAGCAMS was designed, built and tested by Malin Space Science Systems; Lockheed Martin Space integrated TAGCAMS to the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft and operates TAGCAMS.

Date Taken: April 14, 2020

Instrument Used: TAGCAMS (NFTCam)

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona/Lockheed Martin

tnt22

https://www.asteroidmission.org/20200414samcamcheckpoint/
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TAGSAM and Bennu Rehearsing for Sample Collection

This image shows the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft's sampling arm – called the Touch-And-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM) – and asteroid Bennu during the mission's Checkpoint Rehearsal. Sample site Nightingale is visible in the left of the image frame, located in the relatively clear, dark patch. The image was taken by the SamCam camera on NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft on April 14 from a distance of 230 ft (70 m), which is the closest image of Bennu captured to-date. The field of view is 79 ft (24 m). For reference, the bright, rectangular boulder on the crater's south rim (lower left) is 7.5 ft (2.3 m) long, which is about the size of a door. The TAGSAM head is 1 ft (0.3 m) wide. When the image was taken, the spacecraft was over the northern hemisphere, pointing SamCam straight down.

Date Taken: April 14, 2020

Instrument Used: OCAMS (SamCam)

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

tnt22

https://www.asteroidmission.org/samcamanaglyph/
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Anaglyph of TAGSAM and Bennu During Checkpoint Rehearsal

This anaglyph shows a 3D view of the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft's sampling arm – called the Touch-And-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM) – and asteroid Bennu during the mission's Checkpoint Rehearsal. Sample site Nightingale is visible in the left of the image frame, located in the relatively clear, dark patch. For reference, the bright, rectangular boulder on the crater's south rim (lower left) is 7.5 ft (2.3 m) long, which is about the size of a door. The TAGSAM head is 1 ft (0.3 m) wide.

The anaglyph was made from two images taken by the SamCam camera on NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft on April 14. Each image was encoded using filters of chromatically opposite colors—one made with red and the other with cyan. When viewed through color-coded anaglyph glasses, each of the two images reaches the eye it's intended for, and a 3D image is produced.

Date Taken: April 14, 2020

Instrument Used: OCAMS (SamCam)

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

Pirat5

04 мая 2020          OSIRIS-REx отрепетировал отбор проб с поверхности





Космический зонд NASA OSIRIS-REx продолжает подготовку к важному этапу своей миссии. Аппарат находится на орбите астероида Бенну и выполняет маневры перед сбором образцов с поверхности этого космического объекта.












Предыдущие маневры приближали аппарат к поверхности астероида на 620 и 250 метров. Теперь OSIRIS-REx достиг точки в 75 метрах от Бенну. Этот маневр получил наименование «Контрольная точка» (Checkpoint), поскольку на этом рубеже автономная система космического корабля будет самостоятельно проверять его положение и скорость относительно Бенну, а также корректировать траекторию перед тем, как продолжить движение к поверхности.



Репетиция позволила проверить работу систем формирования изображения, навигации и определения дальности космического корабля от поверхности астероида. 
Поскольку маневр был всего лишь очередной репетицией, после его выполнения зонд вернулся на орбиту на безопасном расстоянии от астероида (около одного километра). Во время все более близких подходов OSIRIS-REx фотографирует поверхность астероида. Эти изображения хранятся в памяти бортового компьютера и являются частью программы Natural Feature Tracking (NFT), которая призвана сравнить их с данными, полученными в реальном времени с камер аппарата. Это позволит безопасно приблизиться к месту отбора проб на покрытой толстым слоем раздробленной породы поверхности Бенну.
«Эта репетиция позволила нам проверить работоспособность системы полета во время снижения, в частности, автоматическое обновление и систему наведения», — Рич Бёрнс, руководитель проекта OSIRIS-REx в Центре космических полетов имени Годдарда.
Фактический маневр отбора проб грунта с поверхности Бенну запланирован на конец августа 2020 года. В результате аппарат поднимет и соберет некоторое количество реголита, который к 2023 году должен быть доставлен на Землю.
https://nat-geo.ru/science/universe/osiris-rex-otrepetiroval-otbor-prob-s-poverhnosti-asteroida-bennu/


tnt22

https://www.asteroidmission.org/20200428gargoylebenben/
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Bennu's Striking Craters

This image highlights asteroid Bennu's equatorial craters and its boulder-filled surface. It was taken by the MapCam camera on NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft on April 28, from a distance of 6 miles (10 km). From the spacecraft's vantage point, half of Bennu is sunlit and half is in shadow. Bennu's darkest boulder, Gargoyle Saxum, is visible on the equator, near the left limb. On the asteroid's southern hemisphere, Bennu's largest boulder, Benben Saxum, casts a long shadow over the surface. The field of view is 0.4 miles (0.7 km). For reference, the largest crater in the center of the image is 257 ft (78 m) wide, which is almost the size of a football field. The image was obtained two weeks after the mission's Checkpoint rehearsal, and two days before the spacecraft re-entered orbit around Bennu.

Date Taken: April 28, 2020

Instrument Used: OCAMS (MapCam)

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

tnt22

https://www.asteroidmission.org/20200429benben/
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Benben and Bennu

This image shows the size of asteroid Bennu's largest boulder, Benben Saxum, in relation to the asteroid itself. Benben Saxum , visible in the lower left of the image, is situated on the asteroid's southern limb. From the spacecraft's vantage point, half of Bennu is sunlit and half is in shadow. The image was taken by the MapCam camera on NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft on April 29, from a distance of 5 miles (8 km). The field of view is 0.4 miles (0.6 km). For reference, Benben is 98 ft (30 m) high, which is about the height of the Lincoln Memorial. The asteroid itself is 1,673 ft (510 m) in height – a bit taller than the Empire State Building. The image was obtained two weeks after the mission's Checkpoint rehearsal, and one day before the spacecraft re-entered orbit around Bennu.

Date Taken: April 29, 2020

Instrument Used: OCAMS (MapCam)

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

tnt22

https://www.asteroidmission.org/20200429nightingalesimurghroc/
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Site Nightingale, Simurgh and Roc Saxum

This image provides a view of the primary sample collection site on asteroid Bennu. It was taken by the MapCam camera on NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft on April 29, from a distance of 4 miles (7 km). The crater where sample site Nightingale is located can be seen near the top, center of the image – it is a small region containing dark, fine-grained material. Bennu's prime meridian boulder, Simurgh Saxum, is also visible in the lower left of the image, near the asteroid's limb. Directly east of Simurgh is Roc Saxum. The field of view is 0.3 miles (0.5 km). For reference, Simurgh is 125 ft (38 m) across, which is about the size of a commercial airliner. The image was obtained two weeks after the mission's Checkpoint rehearsal, and one day before the spacecraft re-entered orbit around Bennu.

Date Taken: April 29, 2020

Instrument Used: OCAMS (MapCam)

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona


tnt22

Цитировать Stephen Clark‏ @StephenClark1 4 мин. назад

The Oct. 20 date for the first sample collection attempt is two months later than previously planned, allowing the ground team more time to prepare amid COVID-19 constraints.
Цитировать NASA's OSIRIS-REx‏ @OSIRISREx 10 мин. назад

OSIRIS-REx is officially GO for TAG

We've locked down our schedule for the year:
 ❏ May 26 - Recon C flyover of backup site Osprey
 ❏ Aug 11 - Second Sample Collection Rehearsal
 ❏ Oct 20 - First Sample Collection Attempt

More details here: https://bit.ly/2zeszW9



https://www.asteroidmission.org/?latest-news=nasas-osiris-rex-ready-for-touchdown-on-asteroid-bennu
ЦитироватьNASA's OSIRIS-REx Ready for Touchdown on Asteroid Bennu

May 20, 2020 - NASA's first asteroid sample return mission is officially prepared for its long-awaited touchdown on asteroid Bennu's surface. The Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification and Security – Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission has targeted Oct. 20 for its first sample collection attempt.


This artist's concept shows NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft descending towards asteroid Bennu to collect a sample of the asteroid's surface. Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

"The OSIRIS-REx mission has been demonstrating the very essence of exploration by persevering through unexpected challenges," said Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA's associate administrator for science. "That spirit has led them to the cusp of the prize we all are waiting for – securing a sample of an asteroid to bring home to Earth, and I'm very excited to follow them through the home stretch."

Fr om discovering Bennu's surprisingly rugged and active surface, to entering the closest-ever orbit around a planetary body, OSIRIS-REx has overcome several challenges since arriving at the asteroid in December 2018. Last month, the mission brought the spacecraft 213 ft (65 m) from the asteroid's surface during its first sample collection rehearsal — successfully completing a practice run of the activities leading up to the sampling event.

Now that the mission is ready to collect a sample, the team is facing a different kind of challenge here on Earth. In response to COVID-19 constraints and after the intense preparation for the first rehearsal, the OSIRIS-REx mission has decided to provide its team with additional preparation time for both the final rehearsal and the sample collection event. Spacecraft activities require significant lead time for the development and testing of operations, and given the current requirements that lim it in-person participation at the mission support area, the mission would benefit from giving the team additional time to complete these preparations in the new environment. As a result, both the second rehearsal and first sample collection attempt will have two extra months for planning.

"In planning the mission, we included robust schedule margin while at Bennu to provide the flexibility to address unexpected challenges," said Rich Burns, OSIRIS-REx project manager at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. "This flexibility has allowed us to adapt to the surprises that Bennu has thrown at us. It's now time to prioritize the health and safety of both team members and the spacecraft."

The mission had originally planned to perform the first Touch-and-Go (TAG) sample collection event on Aug. 25 after completing a second rehearsal in June. This rehearsal, now scheduled for Aug. 11, will bring the spacecraft through the first three maneuvers of the sample collection sequence to an approximate altitude of 131 ft (40 m) over the surface of Bennu. The first sample collection attempt is now scheduled for Oct. 20, during which the spacecraft will descend to Bennu's surface and collect material from sample site Nightingale.

"This mission's incredible performance so far is a testament to the extraordinary skill and dedication of the OSIRIS-REx team," said Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal investigator at the University of Arizona, Tucson. "I am confident that even in the face of the current challenge, this team will be successful in collecting our sample from Bennu."

During the TAG event, OSIRIS-REx's sampling mechanism will touch Bennu's surface for approximately five seconds, fire a charge of pressurized nitrogen to disturb the surface, and collect a sample before the spacecraft backs away. The mission has resources onboard for three sample collection opportunities. If the spacecraft successfully collects a sufficient sample on Oct. 20, no additional sampling attempts will be made. The spacecraft is scheduled to depart Bennu in mid-2021, and will return the sample to Earth on Sept. 24, 2023.

NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, provides overall mission management, systems engineering, and the safety and mission assurance for OSIRIS-REx. Dante Lauretta of the University of Arizona, Tucson, is the principal investigator, and the University of Arizona also leads the science team and the mission's science observation planning and data processing. Lockheed Martin Space in Denver built the spacecraft and provides flight operations. Goddard and KinetX Aerospace are responsible for navigating the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. OSIRIS-REx is the third mission in NASA's New Frontiers Program, which is managed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for the agency's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

tnt22

Цитировать NASA's OSIRIS-REx @OSIRISREx 22 мая

Site Osprey's close-up is just around the corner! On Tuesday, May 26, I'll perform a looow pass over the backup sample site — getting my best look at Osprey yet

Изображение

tnt22

Цитата: undefined NASA's OSIRIS-REx @OSIRISREx 22 мая

Glow up? 🌟

These images were taken during various mission phases and from various altitudes. The same boulder is pictured in all 3 images, but the details come into focus as we get closer to asteroid Bennu.

Изображение


22 мая

Left: Captured Apr. 12, 2019 from 1.7 miles (2.8 km) away during Baseball Diamond phase

Middle: Taken Oct. 26, from 0.6 miles (1 km) away during the Recon A flyover

Right: Captured Mar. 3, from 0.2 miles (0.3 km) away during the Recon C flyover

tnt22

https://www.asteroidmission.org/?latest-news=osiris-rex-performs-closest-flyover-of-sample-site-osprey

Цитата: undefinedOSIRIS-REx Performs Closest Flyover of Sample Site Osprey

May 27, 2020 - NASA's first asteroid-sampling spacecraft has had another close encounter with asteroid Bennu. Yesterday, NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft executed its lowest pass yet over sample site Osprey, taking observations from an altitude of 820 feet (250 m). Osprey, OSIRIS-REx's backup sample collection site, is located within a crater just north of Bennu's equator.



To perform the five-hour flyover, the spacecraft left its 0.6-mile (1-km) counterclockwise orbit (as viewed from the Sun) and aimed its science instruments toward the 52-ft (16-m) wide site. The science observations from this pass are the closest taken of Osprey to date. In March, the spacecraft executed a similar pass over primary sample site Nightingale.

A primary goal of the low flyover was to collect high-resolution imagery of the site's surface material. The spacecraft's sample collection mechanism is designed to pick up rocks smaller than 0.8 inches (2 cm), and the detailed PolyCam images from yesterday's low pass will allow the team to identify rocks of this size.

The flyover also provided the opportunity to capture images for the Natural Feature Tracking (NFT) image catalog for site Osprey – documenting the site's surface features. If the mission decides to collect a sample from backup site Osprey, the spacecraft will use this NFT image catalog to autonomously navigate down to Bennu's surface. The mission originally planned to collect this imagery during a 0.4-mile (620-m) flyover in February, but the images from that pass are out of focus due to an anomaly in the low energy laser transmitter (LELT) subsystem with the OSIRIS-REx Laser Altimeter (OLA), which was providing range measurements to focus PolyCam. OLA's high energy laser transmitter (HELT) was used in this most recent Osprey flyover, as was done in a similar flyover of the Nightingale site.

Several of the spacecraft's other instruments also took observations of the Osprey site during the flyover event, including the OSIRIS-REx Thermal Emissions Spectrometer (OTES), the OSIRIS-REx Visual and InfraRed Spectrometer (OVIRS), and the OSIRIS-REx Laser Altimeter (OLA).

After completing the pass, OSIRIS-REx returned to its safe-home orbit and is now circling Bennu clockwise. The spacecraft normally orbits Bennu counterclockwise, but this shift in orbital direction was necessary to position the spacecraft for its next close encounter with the asteroid – the second rehearsal for the sample collection event.

The mission successfully executed the first sample-collection rehearsal on Apr. 14, completing a practice run of some of the activities leading up to the sampling event and bringing the spacecraft 213 ft (65 m) from the asteroid's surface. The second rehearsal, scheduled for Aug. 11, will bring the spacecraft through the first three maneuvers of the sample collection sequence to an approximate altitude of 131 ft (40 m) over the surface of Bennu.
The spacecraft will attempt to venture all the way to the asteroid's surface on Oct. 20, for its first attempt to collect a sample from site Nightingale. During this event, OSIRIS-REx's sampling mechanism will touch Bennu and fire a charge of pressurized nitrogen to disturb the surface and collect its sample before the spacecraft backs away.

NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, provides overall mission management, systems engineering, and the safety and mission assurance for OSIRIS-REx. Dante Lauretta of the University of Arizona, Tucson, is the principal investigator, and the University of Arizona also leads the science team and the mission's science observation planning and data processing. Lockheed Martin Space in Denver built the spacecraft and provides flight operations. Goddard and KinetX Aerospace are responsible for navigating the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. OSIRIS-REx is the third mission in NASA's New Frontiers Program, which is managed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for the agency's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

tnt22

Цитата: undefined NASA's OSIRIS-REx @OSIRISREx 10 мин. назад

Happy to report that Tuesday's lowest-ever pass over site Osprey went well 👍

Photos from the 820 ft (250 m) pass to come next week!

Read more about the flyover here: https://bit.ly/2M55GHl

Изображение

tnt22

https://www.asteroidmission.org/?latest-news=asteroids-bennu-and-ryugu-may-have-formed-directly-from-collision-in-space

Цитата: undefinedASTEROIDS BENNU AND RYUGU MAY HAVE FORMED DIRECTLY FROM COLLISION IN SPACE

June 1, 2020 - Scientists with NASA's first asteroid sample return mission, OSIRIS-REx, are gaining a new understanding of asteroid Bennu's carbon-rich material and signature "spinning-top" shape. The team, led by the University of Arizona, has discovered that the asteroid's shape and hydration levels provide clues to the origins and histories of this and other small bodies.


Illustrating what scientists argue in the paper, this animation demonstrates how top-shape asteroids may have formed. This simulation shows the gravitational reaccumulation of an asteroid parent body (center) following its catastrophic disruption by an impact. The movie begins with a change in perspective to display the initial geometry of the impacted 100-km asteroid, followed by the dispersal of fragments to form separate rubble-pile asteroids. The color of each particle indicates the change in its temperature after impact, with blue being no change and dark red indicated a change of 1000 Kelvin.

Bennu, the target asteroid for the OSIRIS-REx mission, and Ryugu, the target of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Hayabusa2 asteroid sample return mission, are composed of fragments of larger bodies that shattered upon colliding with other objects. The small fragments reaccumulated to form an aggregate body. Bennu and Ryugu may actually have formed in this way from the same original shattered parent body. Now, scientists are looking to discover what processes led to specific characteristics of these asteroids, such as their shape and mineralogy.

Bennu and Ryugu are both classified as "spinning-top" asteroids, which means they have a pronounced equatorial ridge. Until now, scientists thought that this shape formed as the result of thermal forces, called the YORP effect. The YORP effect increases the speed of the asteroid's spin, and over millions of years, material near the poles could have migrated to accumulate on the equator, eventually forming a spinning-top shape – meaning that the shape would have formed relatively recently.

However, in a new paper published in Nature Communications, scientists from the OSIRIS-REx and Hayabusa2 teams argue that the YORP effect may not explain the shape of either Bennu or Ryugu. Both asteroids have large impact craters on their equators, and their size suggests that these craters are some of Bennu's oldest surface features. Since the craters cover the equatorial ridges, their spinning-top shapes must also have been formed much earlier.

"Using computer simulations that model the impact that broke up Bennu's parent body, we show that these asteroids either formed directly as top-shapes, or achieved the shape early after their formation in the main asteroid belt," said Ronald Ballouz, co-lead author and OSIRIS-REx postdoctoral research associate at the UArizona. "The presence of the large equatorial craters on these asteroids, as seen in images returned by the spacecraft, rules out that the asteroids experienced a recent re-shaping due to the YORP effect. We would expect these craters to have disappeared with a recent YORP-induced re-shaping of the asteroid."

In addition to their shapes, Bennu and Ryugu also both contain water-bearing surface material in the form of clay minerals. Ryugu's surface material is less water-rich than Bennu's, which implies that Ryugu's material experienced more heating at some point.


This image shows asteroid Bennu's spinning top shape. It was taken by the MapCam camera on NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft on April 29, from a distance of 5 miles (8 km). From the spacecraft's vantage point, half of Bennu is sunlit and half is in shadow. The asteroid is 1,673 ft (510 m) in height – a bit taller than the Empire State Building.

Assuming Bennu and Ryugu formed simultaneously, the paper explores two possible explanations for the different hydration levels of the two bodies based on the team's computer simulations. One hypothesis suggests that when the parent asteroid was disrupted, Bennu formed from material closer to the original surface, while Ryugu contained more material from near the parent body's original center. Another possible explanation for the difference in hydration levels is that the fragments experienced different levels of heating during the parent asteroid's disruption. If this is the case, Ryugu's source material is likely from an area near the impact point, where temperatures were higher. Bennu's material would have come from a region that didn't undergo as much heating, and was likely farther from the point of impact. Analysis of the returned samples and further observational analysis of the asteroids' surfaces will provide a clearer idea of the possible shared history of the two asteroids.

"These simulations provide valuable new insights into how Bennu and Ryugu formed," said Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal investigator and UArizona professor of planetary sciences. "Once we have the returned samples of these two asteroids in the lab, we may be able to further confirm these models, possibly revealing the true relationship between the two asteroids."

Scientists anticipate that the samples will also provide new insights into the origins, formation and evolution of other carbonaceous asteroids and meteorites. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Hayabusa2 mission is currently making its way back to Earth, and is scheduled to deliver its samples of Ryugu late this year. The OSIRIS-REx mission will perform its first sample collection attempt at Bennu on Oct. 20 and will deliver its samples to Earth on Sep. 24, 2023.

NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, provides overall mission management, systems engineering, and the safety and mission assurance for OSIRIS-REx. Dante Lauretta of the University of Arizona, Tucson, is the principal investigator, and the University of Arizona also leads the science team and the mission's science observation planning and data processing. Lockheed Martin Space in Denver built the spacecraft and provides flight operations. Goddard and KinetX Aerospace are responsible for navigating the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. OSIRIS-REx is the third mission in NASA's New Frontiers Program, which is managed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for the agency's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

tnt22

https://www.asteroidmission.org/osprey-recon-c-mosaic-reduced-size/

Цитата: undefined

OSIRIS-REx Swoops over Sample Site Osprey

This view of sample site Osprey on asteroid Bennu is a mosaic of images collected by NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft on May 26. A total of 347 PolyCam images were stitched together and corrected to produce the mosaic, which shows the site at 0.2 inches (5 mm) per pixel at full size. The spacecraft took these images during an 820-foot (250-meter) reconnaissance pass over the site, which is the closest Osprey has been imaged. The pass was designed to provide high-resolution imagery to identify the best areas within the site to collect a sample.

The sample site is located in the crater at the bottom of the image, just above the dark patch at the crater's center. The long, light-colored boulder to the left of the dark patch, named Strix Saxum, is 17 ft (5.2 m) in length. The mosaic is rotated so that Bennu's east is at the top of the image.

Osprey is the backup sample collection site for the OSIRIS-REx mission. OSIRIS-REx is scheduled to make its first sample collection attempt at primary site Nightingale on Oct. 20.

Date Taken: May 26, 2020

Instrument Used: OCAMS (PolyCam)

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

tnt22

https://www.asteroidmission.org/nightingale-recon-c-mosaic-reduced-size/

Цитата: undefined

Nightingale Recon C Mosaic

This view of sample site Nightingale on asteroid Bennu is a mosaic of images collected by NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft on March 3. A total of 345 PolyCam images were stitched together to produce the mosaic, which shows the site at 0.2 inches (4 mm) per pixel at full size. These images were captured when the spacecraft performed an 820-foot (250-meter) reconnaissance pass over site Nightingale, which at the time was the closest the site had been imaged. The low-altitude pass provided high-resolution imagery for the OSIRIS-REx team to identify the best location within the site to target for sample collection.

Sample site Nightingale is located in the relatively clear patch just above the crater's center – visible in the center of the image. The large, dark boulder located at the top right measures 43 feet (13 meters) on its longest axis. The mosaic is rotated so that Bennu's east is at the top of the image.

Nightingale is the primary sample collection site for the OSIRIS-REx mission. OSIRIS-REx is scheduled to make its first sample collection attempt at site Nightingale on Oct. 20.

Date Taken: Mar. 3, 2020

Instrument Used: OCAMS (PolyCam)

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona[/font][/size][/color]

tnt22

https://www.asteroidmission.org/20200526charcuterieboard/

Цитата: undefined

Scattered Rocks on Boulder's Surface

This image shows a partially buried boulder outside of the crater where backup sample site Osprey is located on asteroid Bennu. The Osprey site itself is located southwest of this region (outside of the image frame). The image was taken by the PolyCam camera on NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft on May 26, from a distance of 0.2 miles (0.3 km). The field of view is 13 ft (4 m). For reference, the bright, roundish rock in the lower right of the image is 3 ft (1 m) across, which is about the size of a small dining table. The image was obtained during the mission's Reconnaissance C phase. When it was taken, the spacecraft was over the northern hemisphere, pointing PolyCam nearly straight down.

Date Taken: May 26, 2020

Instrument Used: OCAMS (PolyCam)

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

tnt22

https://www.asteroidmission.org/20200526samplingrocks/

Цитата: undefined

Flat Boulder Near Site Osprey

This image shows a relatively flat boulder near backup sample site Osprey on asteroid Bennu. The boulder's surface is covered with rocks that are small enough to be collected by the spacecraft's sampling mechanism. The Osprey site itself is located northeast of this region (outside of the image frame). The image was taken by the PolyCam camera on NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft on May 26, from a distance of 0.2 miles (0.3 km). The field of view is 12 ft (3.8 m). For reference, the bright rock below the tip of the boulder is 1 ft (0.3 m) across, which is about the size of a loaf of bread. The image was obtained during the mission's Reconnaissance C phase. When it was taken, the spacecraft was over the northern hemisphere, pointing PolyCam slightly south.

Date Taken: May 26, 2020

Instrument Used: OCAMS (PolyCam)

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

tnt22

https://www.asteroidmission.org/20200526rockonrock/

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Rocks North of Site Osprey

This image shows a diverse group of rocks located north of backup sample site Osprey on asteroid Bennu. Rocks of different sizes, textures, and albedos are visible. The image was taken by the PolyCam camera on NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft on May 26, from a distance of 0.2 miles (0.3 km). The field of view is 11 ft (3.5 m). For reference, the rock sitting on the boulder (lower right) is 1 ft (0.3 m) across, which is about the size of a frying pan. The image was obtained during the mission's Reconnaissance C phase. When it was taken, the spacecraft was over the northern hemisphere, pointing PolyCam nearly straight down.

Date Taken: May 26, 2020

Instrument Used: OCAMS (PolyCam)

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

tnt22

https://www.asteroidmission.org/20200526darkpatch/

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Dark Patch in Osprey's Crater

This image shows a close-up of backup sample site Osprey on asteroid Bennu. The crater where Osprey is located has a dark patch of material at its center, and a portion of it is visible in the left of the image. Site Osprey itself is located just above the dark patch. The image was taken by the PolyCam camera on NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft on May 26, from a distance of 0.2 miles (0.3 km). The field of view is 11 ft (3.5 m). For reference, the smooth, dark rock (upper right) is 1.4 ft (0.4 m) across, which is about the size of a toaster oven. The image was obtained during the mission's Reconnaissance C phase. When it was taken, the spacecraft was over the northern hemisphere, pointing PolyCam slightly south.

Date Taken: May 26, 2020

Instrument Used: OCAMS (PolyCam)

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

tnt22

https://www.asteroidmission.org/20200526strix/

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Close-up of Strix Saxum

This image shows the upper portion of Strix Saxum – the large, bright boulder located next to backup sample site Osprey on asteroid Bennu. Extremely fine-grained material is visible on the eastern edge of the boulder. The image was taken by the PolyCam camera on NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft on May 26, from a distance of 0.2 miles (0.3 km). The field of view is 11 ft (3.4 m). For reference, the fracture on Strix is 4 ft (1.3 m) long, which is about the length of a desk. The image was obtained during the mission's Reconnaissance C phase. When it was taken, the spacecraft was over the northern hemisphere, pointing PolyCam slightly south.

Date Taken: May 26, 2020

Instrument Used: OCAMS (PolyCam)

Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona