From the NASA website (quote below). I'm sure some members here have been at least loosely following this mission. Hard to believe it has been already (nearly) three years since the sample was collected by the spacecraft!


"Early morning on Sunday, Sept. 24, the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft’s sample capsule will come face-to-face with Earth’s atmosphere for the first time since the mission’s 2016 launch. On board are an estimated 8.8 ounces, or 250 grams, of rocky material collected from the surface of Bennu in 2020 – NASA’s first asteroid sample and the largest ever collected in space."


Full story link: https://blogs.nasa.gov/osiris-rex/2...very-will-work/

Earl

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Earl L. Cagle, Jr.
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Rocket-Brained Since 1970

Remember thinking how tough it would be to wait 3 years for the return? Time flies when you're old. Seems like yesterday they fretted over too much material in the sample container and had trouble closing the "lid".

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I love sanding.

Yes, the intervening three years has flown by, even considering the ‘claustrophobia’ of the pandemic years. After the ‘overly successful’ sample collection maneuver you referenced was completed and the spacecraft was heading back home, 2023 seemed like a fairly long ways off.

Hopefully, the earth entry maneuver will be successful and the samples retrieved successfully. It will be interesting to eventually hear the composition and makeup of the sample material.

Earl

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Earl L. Cagle, Jr.
NAR# 29523
TRA# 962
SAM# 73
Owner/Producer
Point 39 Productions

Rocket-Brained Since 1970

Assuming successful return of the samples on September 24, NASA will show the samples and apparently an initial analysis of them on October 11th.

NASA story link:

https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/...ivered-to-earth

Earl

__________________
Earl L. Cagle, Jr.
NAR# 29523
TRA# 962
SAM# 73
Owner/Producer
Point 39 Productions

Rocket-Brained Since 1970

That's great! I figured they would distribute the samples to various labs and countries, then after a year or so of studies, the general public might get to have a look.

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I love sanding.

Yes, I am glad they will give an early initial analysis of the material so relatively quick. Like you, I figured the stuff would get sent out broad and wide and it might be months before we heard any real comments on the makeup of the material. But this way we get a fairly quick answer to some of the basic questions it would seem.

Earl

P.S. - And I almost forgot to add that the Dawgs won yet another one today!

__________________
Earl L. Cagle, Jr.
NAR# 29523
TRA# 962
SAM# 73
Owner/Producer
Point 39 Productions

Rocket-Brained Since 1970

I guess I did not realize such extremely small course adjustments such as this were even possible. Quote below from latest asteroid sample return mission news:

"On Sept. 17, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx engineers slightly shifted the spacecraft’s trajectory to refine the landing location of its sample capsule, which the spacecraft will deliver to Earth on Sept. 24. The spacecraft briefly fired its thrusters Sunday to change its velocity by 7 inches per minute (3 millimeters per second) relative to Earth." (underline is my added emphasis)


Three millimeters per second velocity change...that's pretty neat.

Full article for September 24 sample return: https://blogs.nasa.gov/osiris-rex/2...ample-delivery/


Earl

__________________
Earl L. Cagle, Jr.
NAR# 29523
TRA# 962
SAM# 73
Owner/Producer
Point 39 Productions

Rocket-Brained Since 1970

Sample capsule scheduled for landing Sunday morning at 10:55am eastern time in Utah. NASA coverage of re-entry and landing set for 10am.

Can probably find coverage at most of the space-related websites in addition to NASA-TV, off the NASA web site.

Earl

__________________
Earl L. Cagle, Jr.
NAR# 29523
TRA# 962
SAM# 73
Owner/Producer
Point 39 Productions

Rocket-Brained Since 1970

Andromeda Strain, here we come!

One of my favorite Sci-Fi flicks. I first saw it with my whole family as a kid at the 41 Twin Outdoor Drive-In Theater when it was released.

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Touch down in Utah!

Earl

__________________
Earl L. Cagle, Jr.
NAR# 29523
TRA# 962
SAM# 73
Owner/Producer
Point 39 Productions

Rocket-Brained Since 1970