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Post by End Zone on Oct 22, 2020 2:21:21 GMT -7
Attachment Deleted(click image to expand) Posted for the Forum's science guys and gals....if you didn't already know, I'm a phys.org reader. phys.org/news/2020-10-nasa-spacecraft-asteroid-rubble-sample.htmlNASA's Osiris-Rex spacecraft crushed rocks and sent rubble flying as it briefly touched down on asteroid Bennu, a strong indication that rock and dust samples were collected for return to Earth in 2.5 years, officials said Wednesday, 21 October 2020. Scientists won't know until next week how much was gathered at asteroid Bennu—they want at least a handful (several ounces) of the cosmic rubble. But close-up pictures and video of Tuesday's touch-and-go operation raised hopes that goal was achieved. The NASA plan calls for Osiris-Rex to depart Bennu orbit (50 miles above rocky surface this morning) in March 2021, which would put the samples on track for a touchdown in the Utah desert in 2023.
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Post by thomas cat on Oct 22, 2020 16:55:11 GMT -7
Perhaps you saw it, but last night on PBS's Nova was about this very mission. During that show, they also talked about a Japanese mission doing the same thing. In fact it has already collected its sample and is on its way back due this December. New Footage Shows Japanese Space Probe Landing on Asteroid
Hayabusa-2: Japan spacecraft leaves asteroid to head home
It just amazes me how people figure out how to do this stuff. In the show, it goes into detail how difficult everything is. Just figuring out how to orbit this very low gravity asteroid is a feat in its self. The maneuver was so delicate, they had to take into account the effects of the solar wind on the craft to get it right.
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Post by End Zone on Oct 23, 2020 2:51:25 GMT -7
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Post by End Zone on Oct 24, 2020 14:40:07 GMT -7
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Post by FLCardinalFan on Oct 25, 2020 2:09:02 GMT -7
Perhaps you saw it, but last night on PBS's Nova was about this very mission. During that show, they also talked about a Japanese mission doing the same thing. In fact it has already collected its sample and is on its way back due this December. New Footage Shows Japanese Space Probe Landing on Asteroid
Hayabusa-2: Japan spacecraft leaves asteroid to head home
It just amazes me how people figure out how to do this stuff. In the show, it goes into detail how difficult everything is. Just figuring out how to orbit this very low gravity asteroid is a feat in its self. The maneuver was so delicate, they had to take into account the effects of the solar wind on the craft to get it right. It amazes me too High up above my brain grade t.c..
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Post by thomas cat on Oct 25, 2020 21:46:16 GMT -7
I really hate to hear that. I may be wrong, but during that Nova broadcast, they said they could try up to 3 times to gather samples. This may be something a little different, but I want it to happen. Weather its is us or Japanese. For me, science is science, it doesn't matter were it comes from.
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Post by End Zone on Oct 29, 2020 16:12:55 GMT -7
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Post by thomas cat on Oct 30, 2020 18:53:22 GMT -7
I just thought I would add this. From your article, It looks like they got about 2 kilograms. That may not sound like much, but that's more than enough to get a lot of good science from. Consider this similar mission with samples that crashed landed when it returned to earth. The parachute failed. There were only specks of samples that where uncontaminated. Yet many things were learned. I actually watched this live....at the time, it was huge disappointment.... Video of crash landing
lol...space missions are hard...there are about a thousand things that have to go just right...that's why I am amazed that we can do this at all. However....not all was lost as most had feared... Genesis (spacecraft)
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Post by End Zone on Oct 31, 2020 4:13:51 GMT -7
To truly appreciate the US space program, take a tour of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. I stand in awe of the men and women who figured out how to make the technology work in earth's orbit and beyond. Given the trajectory of human space exploration, we'll not stop at the edge of the solar system. The galaxy is ours to explore next. Humans need to figure out the time scales only. One light year is a long time and a long distance for a human with the universe lifetime of a Mayfly.
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