Precision at 200 Million Miles: OSIRIS-REx TAGs Bennu
Image Credit: NASA/GSFC/UA
On October 20, 2020, the OSIRIS-REx Spacecraft touched down on the surface of the asteroid Bennu to collect a sample, this long-awaited maneuver is known as Touch-and-Go (TAG). The sampling head of the spacecraft touched Bennu’s surface for approximately 6 seconds, where nitrogen gas was fired to agitate the sample into the head, and then the spacecraft backed away from the surface. The spacecraft’s onboard camera, SamCam, took consecutive images as the TAG event occurred. The images showed the descent of the spacecraft, the contact, and then the backaway, in which there was debris floating due to the impact. The sampling head sank nearly 50 cm into the surface by the time the retro-thrusters reversed the spacecraft's motion. The spacecraft touched down less than 3 feet from the center of the planned target. The successful sample collection was the culmination of years of analysis, planning, and data processing by the KinetX Navigation Team. When the sample is returned to Earth in 2023, scientists will be able to further understand Bennu and it's history.
