After four years of space travel, the Osiris-Rex space probe landed on the asteroid Pennu in October 2020. During the stay of the American space agency NASA’s robot collected rock and dust samples, which lasted only a few seconds. Now “Osiris-Rex” is on its way home to Earth.
Washington – NASA investigation “Osiris-Rex” The ship must return to Earth with an asteroid model. According to the plans of the US space agency NASA, the study will leave the orbit of the asteroid Pennu at 10 pm German time on Monday (May 10), from which it will collect dust and debris on October 21, 2020.
This is the first time an American missile has taken a sample from an asteroid. NASA has announced that the start of the return mission will be broadcast live on several social networks. According to NASA, the study to deliver its cargo to Earth after about 2.3 billion kilometers of flight is expected to last until September 2023.
Launched in 2016 in Cape Canaveral
“Osiris-Rex” (abbreviation: Origin, Spectral Description, Resource Identification, Security-Recolith Explorer) came to Penn two years after it was launched from Cape Canaveral in September 2016. Since then, the asteroid, which is about six meters long and weighs 2100 kilograms, has been orbiting the asteroid with its scientific instruments and cameras.
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The purpose is to contribute to the understanding of the formation of our solar system. Pennu was selected from 500,000 known asteroids – because its ideal dimensions are about 490 meters in diameter.
Japanese “Hayabusa” project
In 2005 the Japanese space probe “Hayapusa” landed on an asteroid. In 2010 it brought to Earth the first soil samples collected from a celestial body.
“Hayapusa 2” launched in Japan in December 2014, almost four years into space, reaching its target, the asteroid Ryuku at the end of June 2018. The study flies over the 1998 asteroid KY26, which is due to pass in 2031.
Edward Langley is a contributor to Nintendo-power.com, covering a wide range of topics including news, business, technology, entertainment, lifestyle and current affairs. He focuses on delivering clear, balanced and accessible reporting that helps readers stay informed about important developments and emerging trends. With an emphasis on accuracy, relevance and useful insights, Edward aims to provide engaging stories and practical information that matter to audiences in the UK and beyond.