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Brian May, who studies astrophysics, also helped with the mission by helping to identify locations on the asteroid where Osiris could collect samples. NASA TV broadcast a message of support sent by Brian May, who said: “Hello NASA friends, space fans, and asteroid enthusiasts, I am Brian May from Queen, and I am very Proud to be a member of the Osiris team.”
The largest asteroid sample in history was successfully returned to Earth, the climax of Osiris’ 7-year voyage
(Central News Agency) The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) space capsule returned to Earth on the 24th with the largest asteroid sample ever collected, and made a soft landing in the Utah desert, marking the beginning of this seven-year space journey. Finally climax.
The spacecraft Osiris-Rex was launched in 2016 and four years later collected about 250 grams of dust samples from the rocky surface of the asteroid Bennu.
“AFP” reported that scientists have high hopes for this sample, saying it will provide people with a better understanding of the formation of the solar system and how the earth became habitable.
A NASA announcer said in a webcast of the capsule landing process: “Osiris’s sample recovery module has landed!” Applause and cheers from engineers and team members also sounded from the nearby mission control center.
NASA posted on the social platform
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said asteroid dust “will provide scientists with extraordinary insights into the origins of our solar system.”
The space capsule released by Osiris faced scorching temperatures as it descended through the Earth’s atmosphere, making it very dangerous. However, NASA successfully completed the capsule’s soft launch at 8:52 a.m. local time at the Utah military’s test and training site. Landing.
NASA said even a small sample should “help us better understand the types of asteroids that could threaten Earth.”
NASA scientist Amy Simon pointed out that the sample brought back to Earth this time is “historic” because “this is the largest sample we have brought back to Earth since the Apollo mission (Apollo) obtained moon rocks.”
Osiris released the capsule from an altitude of more than 108,000 kilometers on the morning of the 24th.
In the last 13 minutes of the landing, the capsule rushed through the atmosphere at a speed of more than 43,452 kilometers per hour, with temperatures reaching as high as 2,760 degrees Celsius.
NASA’s images show that the tire-sized space capsule on the ground has not ruptured, which means that the most important air seal is still in good condition and the samples have not been contaminated by the desert.
The research team then used a helicopter to hoist the space capsule to a nearby “clean room.”
NASA said that at the same time, Osiris started its engines, changed its course, moved away from the Earth, and was “heading” to another asteroid, Apophis.
Samples of asteroid Bennu will be sent to the Johnson Space Center in Houston for further research on the 25th. NASA plans to announce preliminary research results at a press conference on October 11.
Most of the samples will be preserved for future research, about 1/4 will be immediately used for experiments, and a small number of samples will be transferred to mission partners Japan and Canada.
In 2020, Japan brought about 5.6 grams of dust from the asteroid “Ryugu” to Earth during the “Hayabusa-2” mission, and transferred a small amount of particles to NASA.
But Simon said the samples obtained from Bennu this time were much larger, allowing for more testing.
A NASA space capsule brought asteroid samples back to Earth. Queen guitarist Brian May (pictured) said he was very proud to be part of the team that collected asteroid samples. (Picture taken from instagram.com/brianmayforreal)
Queen guitarist Brian May is proud to help collect samples from NASA’s asteroid
(Central News Agency) The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) space capsule brought asteroid samples back to Earth. Brian May, the legendary British guitarist of Queen, said that he was “very proud” to be the first time NASA successfully collected asteroid samples from deep space. Part of the planetary sample team.
The British Sky News reported that a space capsule containing about 250 grams of rocks and dust from the asteroid Bennu landed in the desert near Salt Lake City, Utah, on the 24th.
Earlier on the 24th, the spacecraft Osiris-Rex flew by the Earth and released a capsule containing samples about 63,000 miles (101,000 kilometers) from the Earth.
Brian May, who studies astrophysics, also helped with the mission by helping to identify locations on the asteroid where Osiris could collect samples.
NASA TV broadcast a message of support sent by Brian May, who said: “Hello NASA friends, space fans, and asteroid enthusiasts, I am Brian May from Queen, and I am very Proud to be a member of the Osiris team.”
“I wish I could be there in person on the 24th, but no, I am rehearsing for the Queen tour, but my heart is with you when this precious sample is obtained.”
Brian May paid special tribute to his “dear friend” mission manager Dante Lauretta, with whom he created the 3D asteroid atlas Bennu 3-D: Anatomy of an Asteroid. D: Anatomy of an Asteroid).
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