NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission set to deliver Asteroid sample to earth on September 24

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will be moving at a speed of roughly 36 times the speed of sound as it re-enters Earth's atmosphere. (Image credit: NASA)

NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft - Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer - will bring the first asteroid sample to Earth on September 24.

The main objective of the first American mission, according to NASA, is to collect asteroid samples to learn about the processes that created the planet and the solar system 4.5 billion years ago. This touchdown after seven years of exploration of the asteroid Bennu, will mark the end of the mission.

The space agency said the spacecraft will be moving at a speed of roughly 36 times the speed of sound as it re-enters Earth's atmosphere. Then, it will release its hardy capsule, made to endure challenging circumstances like lightning and ice, to come down safely at the Utah Test and Training Range of the Department of Defence.

What the sample will consist of

A sample of ancient cosmic rock and dust from the asteroid Bennu, which is located in the space between the orbits of Earth and Mars, will be inside the capsule.

What happens after asteroid sample touches down on earth

Curation and research duties, will start once the OSIRIS-REx sample capsule returns to land. The acquired sample will be processed as part of curation procedures at NASA's Johnson Space Centre in Houston. The curation team will gently disassemble the sample container, enabling researchers to perform a study. And on October 11, Johnson Space Centre will host a public unveiling of the United States' first-ever asteroid sample captured in space.

What do scientists hope to discover?

Researchers will investigate this sample over the next years to learn more about the events that contributed to the development of our planet and the entire solar system. They also seek to understand the origins of organic substances that might have contributed to the birth of life on Earth. The asteroid Bennu's pure substance has the potential to reveal important details about the solar system's genesis some 4.5 billion years ago, and it may even help us understand the beginnings of life on Earth.

Live coverage of OSIRIS-REx

The OSIRIS-REx capsule landing is set to begin at 10 a.m. EDT (8 a.m. MDT) and will be streamed live by NASA. This link will take you to the broadcast on NASA TV, the NASA app, and the agency's official website.

NASA successfully concludes landing rehearsals

The OSIRIS-REx team has finished its preparations and is ready to deliver the sample to earth. The team thoroughly tested its landing and recovery procedures in the week of August 30. Their main goal was to cut down on the amount of time needed to transport the sample capsule safely from the desert area to a controlled setting on the base. The purpose of this meticulous procedure is to protect the pebbles and dust that have been recovered from Bennu's surface and make sure they aren't harmed by the environment on Earth.

Just before the landing

The team will launch weather balloons into the stratosphere days before the landing of the asteroid sample. These one-time-use balloons may reach heights of about 60,000 feet (18,288 metres), which is about twice as high as what commercial aircraft usually fly. These balloons capture and send information on temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, and wind conditions.

How the delivery of sample will happen

Radar and infrared devices will be used to track the roughly 100-pound (45 lb) hypersonic capsule as it drops. On September 24, numerous aircraft, including a high-altitude WB-57 research jet from NASA's Johnson Space Centre in Houston, will monitor it. The capsule will be travelling at a speed of around 1,150 mph (1,850 kph) when its drogue parachute opens. A circular main parachute will open up closer to the ground to soften the landing.