Sample Asteroid Bennu in 360

The Osiris Rex mission aims to collect samples from asteroid Bennu, a task never before accomplished by NASA. The spacecraft will autonomously descend to the Nightingale site, a small crater on Bennu, to collect at least 60 grams of asteroid material. The process involves a touch-and-go maneuver, where the spacecraft will briefly contact the surface, release nitrogen gas to gather samples, and then retreat to a safe distance. The collected samples will be returned to Earth in September 2023 for analysis.

What is the primary objective of the Osiris Rex mission?

• To explore the surface of Mars

• To collect a sample from asteroid Bennu

• To study the atmosphere of Venus

• To land on the Moon

What is the size of the Nightingale site on Bennu?

• 26 feet wide

• 50 feet in diameter

• 100 feet wide

• 66 feet in diameter

What configuration do the solar panels of Osiris Rex take during the sample collection?

• X-wing configuration

• Z-wing configuration

• T-wing configuration

• Y-wing configuration

How does Osiris Rex ensure it collects material from Bennu's surface?

• By using a magnetic field

• By using a robotic arm to dig

• By firing a puff of compressed nitrogen

• By drilling into the surface

What will Osiris Rex do after collecting the sample from Bennu?

• It will continue to orbit Bennu

• It will immediately return to Earth

• It will land on another asteroid

• It will back away and verify the sample