NASA probe begins its journey to asteroid Bennu
SEP 09, 2016
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.0210094
Spaceflight Now : On 8 September, NASA successfully launched its OSIRIS-REx probe, destined for asteroid 101955 Bennu. The mission will last seven years, during which time the spacecraft will travel to Bennu, collect samples, and return them to Earth for analysis. The total distance traveled will be 4.4 billion miles. The launch marked the 111th for United Launch Alliance. Shortly after takeoff, OSIRIS-REx deployed its two solar arrays and communicated with ground control. If successful, the probe will return the largest amount of extraterrestrial material since the Apollo missions.
© 2016 American Institute of Physics
