NASA's first asteroid retrieval mission has been successfully completed with the sample return capsule from OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification and Security - Regolith Explorer), which landed in the Utah desert near Salt Lake City yesterday.
The craft returned about 250 g of asteroid material, collected from asteroid Bennu in October 2020. The capsule and its contents have been secured in a cleanroom facility, awaiting analysis. Although a small amount, it will provide material for years of research to come.
After releasing its sample capsule, OSIRIS-REx became OSIRIS-APEX (APophis Explorer) and will go on a mission to observe 99942 Apophis, a near-Earth asteroid and potentially dangerous object in April 2029, when the asteroid makes a very close pass to Earth on the 13th.
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