NASA Has a Near Perfect Launch of the The OSIRIS-REx Spacecraft

      

The Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft, started it's mission 7:05pm EDT Thursday September 22nd. The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft  is designed to rendezvous with, study, and return a sample of the asteroid Bennu to Earth. Asteroids like Bennu are remnants from the formation of our solar system more than 4.5 billion years ago. Scientists suspect that asteroids may have been a source of the water and organic molecules for the early Earth and other planetary bodies. 

NASA's first asteroid sampling mission could revolutionize our understanding of the early solar system.

OSIRIS-REx separated from its United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at 8:04 p.m. The solar arrays deployed and are now powering the spacecraft.

For more, please click HERE

Canada joins effort to bring piece of asteroid Bennu to Earth

The Canadian Space Agency has  developed and delivered a  Laser Altimeter to Lookheed Martin's Space Systems facility near Denver.

It will be part of the Origins-Spectral Interpretation-Resource Identification-Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) project,  an international effort to collect a sample of Asteroid Bennu and bring it to Earth. 

Canada's laser altimeter will be integrated onto the spacecraft and undergo spacecraft-level testing, before the September 2016 launch.  

Why Bennu?  Bennu has the potential to impact the Earth in the late 2100s. Planning ahead is important.

Details of CSA's laser altimeter: Here

Details of OSIRIS-REx Here  (includes cool image of Asteroid Bennu)