OSIRIS-REX mission to 1999 RQ36 (Bennu), New Frontiers Mission to Launch in 2016 Options

[stevesliva]

Saw this news article today:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/20...th-osiris-rq36/

And didn't see a thread on this mission. There was a passing reference or two to it, and a mention here:
http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.p...310#entry161310

Of this:
http://futureplanets.blogspot.com/search/l...roid%20Proposal

Which I guess I missed on vjkane's blog.

[toddbronco2]

Well, we'll be hearing a lot more about this mission now.
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/fea...osiris-rex.html

[centsworth_II]

Even though it was awe inspiring, I hope there is a lot less drama with this mission than there was with Hayabusa.

[climber]

A new mission is announced the very same day Spirit officially ends her.
Makes me feel a bit less sad.

[Drkskywxlt]

It was kind of...suggestive...that this was going to be the choice when the NF-4 mission options in the Decadal Survey included Osiris-Rex's two competitors but not Osiris itself.

[Explorer1]

The asteroid will be a getting a new name eventually, right? Any details on how/when they will choose one?

[tedstryk]

I think the planetary society will be involved.

Edit: Yes, they will be involved in the naming of the asteroid http://planetary.org/blog/article/00003047/

[ElkGroveDan]

I vote to name it "Spirit".

[Greg Hullender]

What's the propulsion system? Solar-Electric Ion? I hunted and hunted, but I couldn't find anything. Given the length of the trip, that seems like the best bet, but does anyone know for sure?

--Greg

[djellison]

Look at the animation. It quite clearly has conventional chemical prop. The delta V requirements are not huge - this asteroid's orbit is really remarkably similar to the Earths. It's just a timing issue that defines the mission duration.

[centsworth_II]

http://uanews.org/files/osiris-rex/OSIRIS-REx_Factsheet.pdf

[Hungry4info]

I vote to name it "Spirit".

An asteroid has already been named after Spirit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/37452_Spirit

[elakdawalla]

Edit: Yes, they will be involved in the naming of the asteroid http://planetary.org/blog/article/00003047/

Yes, we were quite fortunate in the selection (or maybe I should say the public was fortunate ). We were involved in lots of the original NF proposals but I know we weren't on all of the final 3. On this one we had a deeper involvement than most. It'll be a while before the public involvement aspects of this mission take shape, but there should be a lot of fun stuff.

[ElkGroveDan]

An asteroid has already been named after Spirit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/37452_Spirit

"MER 2" then.

[centsworth_II]

"MER 2" then.

Or MER-A

[Explorer1]

Or maybe Murray?

[Paolo]

the OSIRIS-REx mission now has a good, informative website
http://osiris-rex.lpl.arizona.edu/index.html

[Holder of the Tw...]

The Atlas 5 rocket, in a very unusual single strap-on configuration (which has successfully flown before), has been selected to be the launch vehicle for OSIRIS-REX.

Spaceflight Now article

Also, might mention some months old news that the asteroid has been named, as reported by the Planetary Society here:

Emily's blog

[Explorer1]

Now's the chance to send you name to Bennu and back:

http://www.planetary.org/get-involved/messages/bennu/

Also, is there any reason the solar panels are tilted the way they are? Some of the concept art shows them more traditionally perpendicular to the sun, while others don't (when its shown doing the sampling). Is it in case Bennu looks like Itokawa, and there's a chance the panels could hit a boulder?

[centsworth_II]

Also, is there any reason the solar panels are tilted the way they are? .... Is it in case Bennu looks like Itokawa, and there's a chance the panels could hit a boulder?

My guess is that the blast of nitrogen gas that blows sample up and into the collectors may also blow material up and into the arrays.

[mcaplinger]

http://www.msss.com/news/index.php?id=118

Malin Space Science Systems (MSSS) has been selected by Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company to provide cameras for the OSIRIS-REx mission...
MSSS will provide the Touch-and-Go Camera System or TAGCAMS, which will consist of two redundant Navigation Cameras or "NavCams", and a single "StowCam". The NavCams will be used for navigation and control both by ground controllers and the spacecraft's onboard guidance system, while the StowCam will be used to verify proper storage of the asteroid sample in the spacecraft's Sample Return Capsule.

[djellison]

Those are going to be some beautiful images - congrats to the MSSS team on being selected!

[tedstryk]

http://www.msss.com/news/index.php?id=118

Congratulations!

[mcaplinger]

Since we're just contractors on this mission I can't say anything about it, but if you look at the image of the spacecraft forward deck in http://www.planetary.org/blogs/guest-blogs...-structure.html you can see the two Navcams and the Stowcam -- they look like little goblets with their baffles.

[punkboi]

NASA Invites Public to Submit Messages for Asteroid Mission Time Capsule

Topics for submissions by the public should be about solar system exploration in 2014 and predictions for space exploration activities in 2023. The mission team will choose 50 tweets and 50 images to be placed in the capsule. Messages can be submitted Sept. 2 - 30.

http://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/september/n...e/#.VAYBEfldWa8

[mcaplinger]

This is an informative page about OREx operations. https://directory.eoportal.org/web/eoportal...ns/o/osiris-rex

[Explorer1]

Great link; thanks.

Imaging at a rate of one frame per second during the collection; now that's going to fill the old swear jar watching the NASA TV coverage...

Prior to the Checkpoint burn, the solar arrays are raised into the "Y-wing" configuration to minimize the chance of dust accumulation during contact, as well as provide more ground clearance in the case the spacecraft tips over (up to 45º) during contact.

Finally, an answer to my unspoken question about why different illustrations show them in different positions; I knew the graphics folks are too good to be inconsistent.

[mcaplinger]

Didn't warrant a mention at http://www.planetary.org/blogs/guest-blogs...ience-deck.html but if you look at the last image in that post, you can see one of the MSSS cameras (Stowcam) on its raised bracket in front of PolyCam.

[BYEMAN]

First stage issues on recent Atlas V ISS resupply may have potential impacts to O-Rex.

[mcaplinger]

There are three Atlas V launches on the manifest before OREx, so it's a little early to worry about this. Worst-case, my understanding is that OREx has a backup launch window in 2017, but obviously using it would be very undesirable for cost reasons.

[BYEMAN]

There are three Atlas V launches on the manifest before OREx, so it's a little early to worry about this.

Not true. Spacecraft shipment to the launch site is less than 6 weeks.

[mcaplinger]

Not true. Spacecraft shipment to the launch site is less than 6 weeks.

I presume you're saying it's "not true" that it's early to worry about this. The Atlas launch manifest is a matter of public record. Next launch is MUOS-5, which was slipped from 5 May to 12 May for the OA6 anomaly investigation. I wouldn't expect that week to ripple forward all the way to OREx. http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/organiza...muos-5-mission/

If you have an actual source of information that says this is a concern, post it. The spacecraft won't be mated to the LV until about a week/10 days before launch if the Juno experience is any guide.

BTW, http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=39920.0 is the best source of information on the Atlas anomaly that I'm aware of.

[Holder of the Tw...]

Here is a story just out for the Atlas problem: Spaceflight Now - Narrowing list of suspects

To give the team ample time to figure out what went wrong and implement any corrective actions, the next Atlas 5 launch has been rescheduled from May 5 to May 12.

Also from the same website is their reported Launch Schedule, which shows Osiris-REX sitting comfortably at September 8th behind three other Atlas 5 launches (and as an aside Bepi-Colombo just got added to their list for January).

I'd really like to see this launch. It's going to have one single solid strap-on. Don't see that often.

[stevesliva]

It's going to have one single solid strap-on. Don't see that often.

I would not recommend googling for it.

[Holder of the Tw...]

LOL - I see what you mean.

[bobik]

(and as an aside Bepi-Colombo just got added to their list for January).

SpaceflightNow is not up to date. BepiColombo was silently postponed to a launch in early 2018.

[BYEMAN]

Next Atlas launch went indefinite.

[BYEMAN]

Looks like SBIRS GEO-3 will be leap frogging over O-REX to help preserve its launch period.

[mcaplinger]

MSSS TAGCAMS Camera System Performs Well in Thermal/Vacuum Test

http://www.msss.com/news/index.php?id=124

[Holder of the Tw...]

Todays Atlas V launch went perfect. Had more solid boosters and engine restarts to worry about than Osiris_REX will have.

[Holder of the Tw...]

The launch of OSIRIS-REX went perfectly. The spacecraft has deployed and is now on its way to Bennu.

Update: Confirmation that both solar panels have deployed.

[ChrisC]

Kind of surprised that this thread is so quiet. Anyway, thought you all might be interested in this report from an emergency response commander in the 45th Space Wing, writing about the SpaceX explosion (cough, deflagration) that occurred just days before the ORex launch:

"No sooner had we accomplished the securing of the pumps when I was approached by another one of our range users who explained they were losing pressure on the chillers at a neighboring launch complex. Without those chillers the spacecraft for the next launch would be lost. Needless to say at this point I had to reestablish our priorities and get a team working on a way to get our IRT into Space Launch Complex 41 to allow access for technicians to enter in order to make the necessary repairs. As we were reviewing the plan, word came in from Pad 41 that all of the pressures were lost and technicians had to get to the spacecraft immediately. This is a situation when good working relationships with our counterparts at Kennedy Space Center came into play. We were able to coordinate with the KSC EOC for access through their roadblocks and get the required support to the spacecraft in plenty of time to not only save the spacecraft, but to keep the planned launch on schedule. "

Yikes!

http://www.patrick.af.mil/News/Commentarie...e-eastern-range

[stevesliva]

Wow. Thanks for sharing that! I'm not clear on what those chillers were chilling and why it threatened OSIRIS-REX...?

[mcaplinger]

I'm not clear on what those chillers were chilling and why it threatened OSIRIS-REX...?

My interpretation was this was for the pad air conditioning. Losing A/C could cause contamination concerns but "losing the spacecraft" seems a little overdramatic to me.

[Explorer1]

First light images: http://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2016/o...t-status-update

It's full of stars...

[mcaplinger]

http://www.asteroidmission.org/wp-content/...tember2016.jpeg

On September 22, 2016, two weeks after launch, the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft switched on the Touch and Go Camera System (TAGCAMS) to demonstrate proper operation in space. This image of the spacecraft was captured by the StowCam portion of the system when it was 3.9 million miles (6.17 million km) away from Earth and traveling at a speed of 19 miles per second (30 km/s) around the Sun. Visible in the lower left hand side of the image is the radiator and sun shade for another instrument (SamCam) onboard the spacecraft. Featured prominently in the center of the image is the Sample Return Capsule (SRC), showing that our asteroid sample’s ride back to Earth in 2023 is in perfect condition. In the upper left and upper right portions of the image are views of deep space. No stars are visible due to the bright illumination provided by the sun. Credit: NASA

No stars are visible because 1) the exposure time was too short to see any, and 2) Stowcam is focused on the SRC and stars would be way out of focus.

Oh, and thanks for the image credit.

[Explorer1]

Pretty!
Images from a spacecraft showing both part of itself and the background of space are always so cool to me, and I imagine many others. Philae's image of the Rosetta solar panels with 67P (or Mars) in the background was emblematic of the whole mission. Can't wait for Bennu to make a background cameo...

[Explorer1]

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2016/n...-rare-asteroids

Looks like a search for Earth trojans is going to be done in February during the trip to Bennu (can the thread title be changed with the new name?)

Admin- Yep! Done.

[B Bernatchez]

First DSM complete.
http://www.asteroidmission.org/?latest-new...ft-update-dsm-1

[PhilipTerryGraha...]

One more hurdle cleared in the journey #ToBennuAndBack, eh?

[Holder of the Tw...]

Here is an article about the upcoming search for earth trojans at the L4 point which is just about to get underway:

Asteroid sleuth

Between Feb. 9 and Feb. 20, the spacecraft’s mapping camera will take 145 pictures per day of the volume of space where Earth-Trojans are expected to reside, according to Lauretta.
“It’s a big cloud, and there should be material there,” Hergenrother said at a Jan. 12 meeting of NASA’s Small Bodies Assessment Group. “We should be able to detect stuff down to 100 meters (330 feet), and possibly even smaller, depending on the performance of our cameras, and the albedo (reflectivity).
“If we don’t find anything, it either means there’s a lot less objects out there than we were thinking, or they’re a lot smaller,” Hergenrother said.

[PhilipTerryGraha...]

MapCam view of the Jupiter system from the Earth Trojan asteroid search. From left to right, Callisto, Jupiter, Io and Europa. Released on Valentine's Day nonetheless! Is OSIRIS-REx sending a message to Juno?

[Explorer1]

You can see the belts in this one! Another reminder that Polycam is powerful!
http://www.asteroidmission.org/?latest-new...r-image-jupiter

[Holder of the Tw...]

The search for Earth Trojan asteroids came up empty...

Article

[Explorer1]

Spacecraft spotted! http://www.asteroidmission.org/?latest-new...ft-since-launch

I'm sure it must be mentioned somewhere, any plans for the spacecraft to do some imagery of its own?

[mcaplinger]

I'm sure it must be mentioned somewhere, any plans for the spacecraft to do some imagery of its own?

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2017/a...shot-past-earth

At 4:52 p.m. EDT, four hours after closest approach, OSIRIS-REx will begin science observations of Earth and the Moon to calibrate its instruments.

[Explorer1]

Closest approach has passed, and according to DSN, they made contact and are downlinking...

[SpaceListener]

Vídeo fron NASA Science Casts : Riding the slingshot to Bennu

https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/scien...ngshot-to-bennu

[Explorer1]

First Earth image released! https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/...th-during-flyby

And for comparison, an image from EPIC on board DSCOVR, around the same time: https://epic.gsfc.nasa.gov/archive/natural/...70922224114.png

[Hungry4info]

I have to admit a bit of surprise at the quality. Are these images actually circular rather than rectangular? And can we expect those drop outs (?) as the "norm"?

[mcaplinger]

Are these images actually circular rather than rectangular?

Not sure what you mean by this.

And can we expect those drop outs (?) as the "norm"?

Did you actually read the caption?

"The dark vertical streaks at the top of the image are caused by short exposure times (less than three milliseconds). Short exposure times are required for imaging an object as bright as Earth, but are not anticipated for an object as dark as the asteroid Bennu, which the camera was designed to image."

That said, I'm not sure why short exposure times would cause streaking like that -- maybe blooming from the horizontal register?

[ugordan]

Not sure what you mean by this.

I'd guess the jagged limb Earth displays indicating this is an orthographic projection (due to noticeable s/c motion or whatever) instead of a straight-up RGB composite.

[volcanopele]

I thought they were truncated lines due to undercompression. We saw that with Galileo and Cassini, though on Cassini, we had truncated lines every other line to allow for interpolation.

[Hungry4info]

I thought it might have been a reprojection as well but you can see some of the image goes above the limb of the planet on the upper-left side. I'm at work right now so I don't have the ability to circle it in an image, I'm afraid. The whole picture looks like it was taken through a circular window that's slightly misaligned/off-centre with Earth.

[fredk]

I guess this is what Hungry's referring to - this is a gamma-tweaked crop:

You can see that it looks like the image was masked to black outside a circle. It's noticable at the top of the frame because the mask follows the true edge of the Earth which is in shadow there (the phase is slightly gibbous) rather than the visible limb.

Presumably this was done to get rid of some noise in the black regions. Hopefully they didn't mask out too much of the bright limb, but the bright limb looks too sharp (ie it looks aliased) rather than PSF-y as you'd expect...

[Paolo]

more pics. including the Moon
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2017/o...th-and-the-moon

[Paolo]

Earth anf Moon in color
http://www.asteroidmission.org/?latest-new...arth-moon-color

[jasedm]

Earth anf Moon in color
http://www.asteroidmission.org/?latest-new...arth-moon-color

Late reply, but fantastic image. reminds me of Carl Sagan's famous 'pale blue dot' quote:

“Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there-on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam"

I'm seriously missing Cassini-Huygens, but starting to get excited about this mission now - I wonder what Bennu will be like? Itokawa-esque? Similar to Eros? Mathilde? Gaspra?

Hoping that there's a suitable place to take a sample without hazardous terrain - an area of 'ponding' perhaps, that's free of large boulders or gravel that's too large for the sample-arm to capture.

Only seven months away now....

[OrbitrapInSpace]

August 17th 2018,
Osiris Rex officially started the Approach Phase to Bennu,

https://www.asteroidmission.org/asteroid-operations/

[belleraphon1]

NASA Teleconference today at 2pm Eastern

NASA to Host Media Briefing on Mission to Return Asteroid Sample to Earth
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-to-...sample-to-earth

[elakdawalla]

Hi folks, just doing a little thread maintenance. I created a new forum for OSIRIS-REx, and am closing this early thread. Please move on to the Asteroid Approach thread to discuss science operations!