NASA spacecraft leaves mess after grabbing asteroid samples

Dragon

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Post n°1

NASA spacecraft leaves mess after grabbing asteroid samples

Post by Dragon Sun Apr 18, 2021 2:53 am

The Osiris-Rex spacecraft made one final flyby of asteroid Bennu on April 7 to take photos of the disturbance left by October's sample collection.

A depression is visible where Osiris-Rex penetrated the asteroid's surface. Boulders were hurled by the pressurized nitrogen gas that was fired at the ground to churn up material for vacuuming, and by the spacecraft's getaway thruster.

One 1-ton boulder was flung an estimated 40 feet (12 meters).

The Osiris-Rex team meticulously plotted the final flyover to ensure the best shots. The pictures were taken around noontime to avoid shadows and better see the changes on Bennu's rocky surface.

Source

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NASA spacecraft leaves mess after grabbing asteroid samples 334pu7m

Dragon

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Post n°2

Re: NASA spacecraft leaves mess after grabbing asteroid samples

Post by Dragon Sun Apr 18, 2021 2:55 am

NASA spacecraft leaves mess after grabbing asteroid samples Nasaspacecra

(NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona via AP)

This combination of 2019 and 2021 images made available by NASA shows how the local surface of Bennu changed after the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft took a sample of the asteroid on Oct. 20, 2020.

The earlier image, top, was taken on March 7, 2019, and the bottom was taken on April 7, 2021, as part of final observations to document the surface after sample acquisition.

The Nightingale site is located in the relatively clear patch just above the crater's center – visible in the center of the earlier image.

The large, dark boulder located at the center right measures 43 feet (13 meters) on its longest axis.

Source / Image Courtesy

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NASA spacecraft leaves mess after grabbing asteroid samples 334pu7m

Dragon

Dragon: Senior Administrator; Posts : 11769
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Post n°3

Re: NASA spacecraft leaves mess after grabbing asteroid samples

Post by Dragon Sun Apr 18, 2021 2:57 am

OSIRIS-REx Leaves its Mark on Bennu

Like boot prints on the Moon, NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft left its mark on asteroid Bennu. Now, new images — taken during the spacecraft's final fly-over on April 7, 2021 — reveal the aftermath of the historic Touch-and-Go (TAG) sample acquisition event from Oct. 20, 2020.

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NASA spacecraft leaves mess after grabbing asteroid samples 334pu7m

Cloud

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Post n°4

Re: NASA spacecraft leaves mess after grabbing asteroid samples

Post by Cloud Mon Apr 19, 2021 12:54 am

Dragon wrote:
(NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona via AP)

This combination of 2019 and 2021 images made available by NASA shows how the local surface of Bennu changed after the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft took a sample of the asteroid on Oct. 20, 2020.

The earlier image, top, was taken on March 7, 2019, and the bottom was taken on April 7, 2021, as part of final observations to document the surface after sample acquisition.

The Nightingale site is located in the relatively clear patch just above the crater's center – visible in the center of the earlier image.

The large, dark boulder located at the center right measures 43 feet (13 meters) on its longest axis.

Source / Image Courtesy

Nice, pretty good clarity in the photos :goodpost: