[music throughout] Over 200 million miles away from Earth,
OSIRIS-REx is preparing for NASA’s most ambitious sample return since the Apollo program…
After months of detailed analysis of Bennu’s terrain,
the team selected the Nightingale crater as the sample site for the mission.
OSIRIS-REx will need to carefully dodge rocky hazards
as it descends to a space no larger than a few parking spots.
The spacecraft has mapped the terrain in high-resolution,
capturing a stunning catalog of images across Bennu’s rough surface.
And now, we are ready
to target site Nightingale for the Touch-and-Go sampling event.
OSIRIS-REx is prepared to begin its descent down
to Bennu’s surface and finally collect a sample.
Using its database of images from Nightingale as a guide for its
onboard navigation system, Natural Feature Tracking, OSIRIS-REx will steer itself
to the TAG location, dodging Bennu’s rocky hazards along the way.
After years of preparation, analysis, and rehearsals, our target is in sight.
OSIRIS-REx, is ready to TAG.