"OSIRIS-REx: Capturing Earth and Moon in Space"
Explore the mesmerizing image captured by NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft's NavCam 1, showcasing the Earth-Moon system from a distance of 401,200 kilometers. Witness the spacecraft's outbound trajectory from Earth towards its destination, the asteroid Bennu, with a diameter of 490 meters. Learn about the OSIRIS-REx mission's goal of collecting dust samples from Bennu and returning them to Earth, with a scheduled sample collection in 2019 and a return journey planned for 2023. Join us on this extraordinary journey through space exploration and scientific discovery.
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00:00One of the trio of cameras comprising TAGCAM's Touch & Go camera system aboard NASA's OSIRIS-RX
00:11spacecraft captured a breathtaking image that graces this entry.
00:17Taken on September 25, 2017 by NavCam1, the photograph showcases the Earth-Moon system.
00:25In this stunning visual, Earth and the Moon are depicted 401,200 km apart, while the spacecraft
00:32itself is positioned 1,297,000 km from Earth and 1,185,000 km from the Moon.
00:43At the moment this image was snapped, OSIRIS-RX was on its outbound trajectory from Earth,
00:49having executed a critical gravity assist maneuver on September 22.
00:55This maneuver was essential for the spacecraft to chart its course towards its ultimate destination,
01:00the asteroid Bennu, which it is set to reach the following year.
01:05Bennu is a near-Earth asteroid with a diameter of approximately 490 meters.
01:11It was selected as the target for the OSIRIS-RX mission, which launched on September 8, 2016.
01:19The mission's objective is to collect dust samples from Bennu using a robotic arm and
01:24return them to Earth.
01:26The spacecraft is expected to gather over 60 grams of material.
01:32The sample collection is scheduled for 2019, with the return journey to Earth slated for 2023.