OSIRIS-REx Sampling Area to Scale: Animations

Released Wednesday, September 9, 2020

ID: 20323

- Visualizations by:
- Adriana Manrique Gutierrez

OSIRIS-REx is NASA’s first asteroid sample return mission. Its main science goal is to collect a sample of near-Earth asteroid Bennu for return to Earth in 2023. These animations show a size comparison of the planned sample collection area before arriving at Bennu (orange), and after arriving at Bennu (blue). The original mission plan envisioned a sample site with a diameter of 164 feet (50 m). However, the sampling region for site Nightingale is approximately 26 ft (8 m) in diameter. The area safe enough for the spacecraft to touch is the width of a few parking spaces.

Overhead view of OSIRIS-REx at sample site Nightingale, with a parking lot for comparison.

Credit: NASA/Goddard/CI Lab/University of Arizona

Surface-level view of OSIRIS-REx at sample site Nightingale, with a parking lot for comparison.

Credit: NASA/Goddard/CI Lab/University of Arizona

For More Information

See the following sources:

Planets & Moons

Credits

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard/CI Lab/University of Arizona

Animators
- Adriana Manrique Gutierrez (USRA)
- Jonathan North (USRA)
Art director
- Michael Lentz (USRA)
Producer
- Dan Gallagher (USRA)
Graphic designer
- Heather Roper (The University of Arizona)
Data visualizer
- Kel Elkins (USRA)
Support
- Erin Morton (The University of Arizona)
- Brittany Enos (The University of Arizona)
- Michael Moreau (NASA/GSFC)
Technical support
- Aaron E. Lepsch (ADNET Systems, Inc.)