LANDING SITES FOR OSIRIS-REX

 

For: Mains

Topics covered:

• NASA selects sample collection sites on Asteroid Bennu
• OSIRIS-Rex spacecraft
• Asteroid Bennu

---

 

News Flash

NASA shortlists four sites for its OSIRIS-Rex spacecraft to collect samples from Asteroid Bennu in mid-2020 and are expected to return to Earth by 2023.

The four candidate sample sites on Bennu have been named as Nightingale, Kingfisher, Osprey, and Sandpiper, all names after birds native to Egypt.

• It landed on Bennu’s surface on December 3, 2018, where it began looking for sites from which to take samples.

 

The OSIRIS-Rex spacecraft

• The name stands for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx).
• OSIRIS-REx will fly at lower altitudes and take even higher-resolution observations of the surface.
• This will help the agency identify features such as groupings of rocks to help navigate the surface for sample collection.
• OSIRIS-REx was designed to collect a sample from an asteroid.

 

Asteroid Bennu

• According to NASA, asteroid Bennu is the smallest body in the solar system to be orbited and surveyed by a spacecraft at close range.
• Bennu has an especially rocky terrain.
• Asteroid Bennu has a beach-like area and rugged surface.

 

The four sites shortlisted

Nightingale

• Nightingale is the northern-most site. It is set in a small crater encompassed by a larger crater and contains mostly fine-grain, dark material.
• It has the lowest reflection and surface temperature among all the four sites.

 

Kingfisher

• The Kingfisher is located in a small crater near Bennu’s equator at 11 degrees north latitude.
• The site itself is free of large rocks and has the strongest spectral signature for hydrated minerals.

 

Osprey

• It is also located in Bennu’s equatorial region at 11 degrees north latitude.
• According to NASA, it has the strongest spectral signature of carbon-rich material out of all the four sites.

 

Sandpiper

• Sandpiper is the fourth site. This one is located in Bennu’s southern hemisphere at 47 degrees south latitude and is in a relatively flat area on the wall of a large crater.
• NASA says that hydrated minerals are also present on this site, indicating the presence of unmodified water-rich material.

 

Source: Indian Express

 

Also, read more daily News

• Report on offshore rupee markets
• United Nations Special Purpose Trust Fund (SPFT)
• NASA tested New Mars rover on Iceland’s lava field
• US Green Card
• Haryana administrative tribunal
• Negative Interest Rate Policy
• Lead in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes

 

You are on the Best Online IAS preparation platform. You are learning under experts.

We are present on Facebook- Diligent IAS, LinkedIn- Diligent IAS, YouTube- Diligent IAS, Instagram- Diligent IAS. Get in touch with us.