Via Láctea Sobre Grosseto, Italia.

Luna

Crédito: Fulvio Huerta Reyes

Luna Crédito: Fulvio Huerta Reyes

An Addition to our Space Rock Collection

On October 20th, our OSIRIS-REx mission will make its first attempt to collect and retrieve a sample of asteroid Bennu, a near-Earth asteroid. On sample collection day, Bennu will be over 200 million miles away from Earth.  

Asteroids are the building blocks of our solar system. A sample of this ancient material can tell us about the history of our planet and the origins of life. Science results published from the mission on October 8th confirm that Bennu contains carbon in a form often found in biology or in compounds associated with biology.

To collect a sample, OSIRIS-REx will attempt a method NASA has never used before – called Touch-And-Go (TAG).  First, the spacecraft extends its robotic sampling arm, the Touch-And-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM) – from its folded storage position. The spacecraft’s two solar panels then move into a “Y-wing” configuration over the spacecraft’s body, which positions them safely up and away from the asteroid’s surface during touch down. This configuration also places the spacecraft’s center of gravity directly over the TAGSAM collector head, which is the only part of the spacecraft that will contact Bennu’s surface.

Finding a safe sample collection site on Bennu’s rocky landscape was a challenge. During the sampling event, the spacecraft, which is the size of a large van, will attempt to touch down in an area that is only the size of a few parking spaces, and just a few steps away from enormous boulders.

The spacecraft will only make contact with Bennu for a matter of seconds - just long enough to blow nitrogen gas onto the surface to roil up dust and small pebbles, which will then be captured for a return to Earth.

We need to conduct a few tests before we can confirm we collected a large enough sample (about 2 oz). First, OSIRIS-REx will take images of the collector head to see if it contains rocks and dust. Second, the spacecraft will spin with the TAGSAM extended to determine the mass of collected material. If these measures show a successful collection, we will stow the sample for return to Earth. If sufficient sample has not been collected, the spacecraft has onboard nitrogen charges for two more attempts. The next TAG attempt would be made no earlier than January 2021.

Despite the many challenges, the OSIRIS-REx team is ready. They’ve practiced and prepared for this moment.

Join in with #ToBennuAndBack and tune in on October 20th.

Learn more about the OSIRIS-REx countdown to TAG HERE.

Learn more about the OSIRIS-REx mission HERE, or follow the mission on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com

La mayoría de los cúmulos de estrellas son singularmente impresionantes. Pero los cúmulos abiertos NGC 869 y NGC 884 podrían considerarse doblemente impresionantes. Puede ser visto desde un lugar oscuro sin siquiera binoculares.

Crédito: Greg Polanski.

📸 Anthony Fuentes

Ig: https://instagram.com/fuentesphotocr

📍 Puntarenas, Costa Rica

~Félicette

Lluvia de meteoros Perseidas.

Una fotografía para el primerplano

17mm - 1/40s - ISO200

Seis fotografías para el cielo

17mm - 15s - ISO5000

Crédito: Oliver

https://instagram.com/fotopasion4k

~Antares

Panorámica del núcleo galáctico del mes de Agosto. Mosaico de 8 paneles.

Crédito: Jorge Restrepo

https://instagram.com/astrofotomexico

~Antares

¡Los medios chinos han confirmado que la cápsula Change5 ha aterrizado!

Observatorio Carnegie Las Campanas. Un brillo difuso y grietas oscuras de la Vía Láctea central se ciernen sobre las cúpulas de los telescopios gemelos de Magallanes de 6,5 metros. Pero lo más llamativo es el brillo rojo intenso de la Luna. Inmersa en la sombra de la Tierra durante el tan esperado eclipse lunar total de perigeo, la superficie de la Luna refleja la luz de los atardeceres y amaneceres dispersos y refractados en la umbra en forma de cono del planeta.

Créditos: Yuri Beletsky

Playa de Campiecho ubicada en el occidente del Principado de Asturias.

Este es el resultado de combinar diferentes fotografías, 4 minutos de exposición del primer plano o foreground, un staking de 10 para el cielo y 4 fotografías para las luces y el sujeto.

Nikon D850 - Nikkor 20 mm - Haida Clear Night

Crédito: Pellegrini Stefano Photography.

https://instagram.com/pels_photo

~Antares