OSIRIS-REx
Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification Security Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) is a planetary science mission which will return a large (60 grams (2.1 oz) - 2 kilograms (4.4 lb)) sample of a carbonaceous asteroid to Earth for detailed analyses in about 2023. The team planning the mission was staffed by a multi generational team due to the long duration of the program. [1]
Mission
The mission seeks to return material which will enable scientists to learn more about the time before the birth of our solar system, initial stages of planet formation, and the source of organic compounds which led to the formation of life. Asteroid 1999 RQ36 was selected because of the available of pristine samples representative of matter from before the formation of Earth as well as it's proximity to Earth
The cost of the mission will be approximately $1 billion US, with $800 million devoted to the mission and spacecraft.[2]
References
- ^ "OSIRIS-REx Mission Selected for Concept Development". Goddard Space Flight Center.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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