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NASA's OSIRIS-REx Profile picture
@OSIRISREx
Dec 12, 2019 • 11 tweets • 4 min read • Read on X
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After a year at asteroid Bennu today’s the day. We have a sample collection site! #XMarksTheSpot

Starting now, tune in for the announcement! Image
Some of the material in one of these images will be coming back to Earth 😱 Image
Sure has been a wild ride, but after everything, we identified the four best sites on Bennu for sample collection.
While each site is diverse in location and topography, they each have highlights and challenges. Image
I’m going to site Nightingale! 🛰🌑🎉 #XMarksTheSpot Image
Check out my view of Nightingale.
Since we have multiple sampling attempts, the team selected Osprey as a backup site in case a follow-on attempt at Nightingale isn’t possible. Image
Another *birds-eye* view, but of Osprey 😉
Big decisions have been made, and there’s more to come. What’s next? Image
There’s definitely work to do before touching down on Nightingale’s surface…
Curious about how the selection was made and why these sites were chosen? Read more on #XMarksTheSpot: bit.ly/2PRGZzZ Image

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More from @OSIRISREx

NASA's OSIRIS-REx Profile picture
Oct 20, 2020
I'm 2.3 million miles away, so it takes time for commands to travel between me & Earth. Today, my team on Earth will see events 18.5 mins after they happen here at Bennu. This time lag doesn't allow for live commanding of flight activities, so I'll perform TAG autonomously.
My team has already given me everything I need for today's sample collection event! The final commands for today's activities were uplinked to me on Monday morning, and I received the official GO command this morning.
During the TAG event, I'll transmit data at a very slow rate of 40 bits/sec - 28x less than the data volume of a text message! My team will be able to see how I'm doing, but images & science data will be too large to send. I'll transmit all of the event data to Earth afterwards.
Read 4 tweets
NASA's OSIRIS-REx Profile picture
Sep 28, 2020
At the very end of the TAGSAM arm is the sample collector head - it's sort of like my hand, and it'll be the only part of me that touches Bennu's surface while gathering a sample.

Image details: bit.ly/2G5SFhm
The collector head is very flexible, and is connected via a hinge-like design so that it can tilt with Bennu's surface. It's also pretty small, measuring 12 inches (30 cm) in diameter - a bit bigger than a dinner plate! 🍽
Once I touch down and the gas disturbs the surface material, some of those rocks and dust will be gathered into the collector head…
Read 4 tweets
NASA's OSIRIS-REx Profile picture
Sep 14, 2020
Bennu: an asteroid that throws marble-sized rocks, has building-sized boulders, and didn't give us many options for a sample collection site.

So, if collecting a sample from Bennu is so challenging, why are we doing it?
Because Bennu is special! It's like an ancient artifact, and it has a lot of stories to share with us 📖

Image details: bit.ly/3iw4hIF Image
Bennu is a rare B-type asteroid (primitive and carbon-rich). It’s made up of organic compounds and water-bearing minerals like clays, and studying samples of its surface material can help us piece together the story of our solar system…
Read 4 tweets
NASA's OSIRIS-REx Profile picture
Sep 10, 2020
Okay… let's be honest. Microgravity is one thing, but Bennu's surface has definitely been another thing to wrangle. I mean… look at it.
So, next month I'll be navigating into a space that's about 3 parking spaces wide and surrounded by building-sized boulders… talk about tricky.
Getting to this point hasn't been easy, and it's required a lot of perseverance and ingenuity from my team! TAG will be another challenging milestone, but we're ready! #ToBennuAndBack
Read 4 tweets
NASA's OSIRIS-REx Profile picture
Aug 11, 2020
You might recall from our 1st rehearsal that it takes 16 mins for commands to travel between me and Earth. So my team on Earth sees events 16 mins after they happen here at Bennu. You may also recall that this time lag doesn't allow for live commanding of flight activities.
But my team has already given me everything I need for today's rehearsal! The final commands for today's activites were uplinked to me on Monday morning, and I received the official GO command this morning.
During the rehearsal, I'll transmit data at a very slow rate of 40 bits/sec - 28x less than the data volume of a text message! My team will be able to see how I'm doing, but images & science data will be too large to send. I'll transmit all of the event data to Earth afterwards.
Read 5 tweets
NASA's OSIRIS-REx Profile picture
May 18, 2020
It’s #NationalPetMonth
Plz send pet pics 🐶🐱🐍🐰

Here are a few of my pet rocks.
bit.ly/3dTKhNp
bit.ly/367Wco8 ImageImage
These boulders are located next to site Nightingale. Obviously they’re too big to pick up, but there are lots of other smaller rocks here that are sample worthy 👍

bit.ly/3e33jkB Image
Remember this one? Looks like a crispy brownie.

bit.ly/3cK2j4i Image
Read 4 tweets

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