Ep 8. To the Asteroid Bennu and Back

To the Asteroid Bennu and Back is an episode from the second season of the show Best of NASA. This episode takes the viewers on a thrilling journey as NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft embarks on a mission to collect a sample from the asteroid Bennu and return it to Earth.

The episode begins with an overview of the asteroid Bennu, its physical characteristics, and why it is of particular interest to NASA. Bennu is a primitive asteroid that was formed over 4.5 billion years ago, and it contains valuable information about the early formation of our solar system. The OSIRIS-REx mission aims to collect a sample from Bennu's surface and bring it back to Earth for detailed analysis.

The episode then delves into the design and engineering of the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, which was specifically built to withstand the harsh conditions in space and collect a pristine sample from Bennu. Viewers get an inside look at the spacecraft's instruments and technologies, including the Touch-And-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM), which will collect the sample from Bennu's surface.

As the spacecraft journeyed to the asteroid Bennu, the episode highlights the complexities and challenges of navigating through space. Engineers and scientists from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California worked tirelessly to ensure that the spacecraft stayed on course and safely arrived at its destination. The episode also explains how the spacecraft used Earth's gravity to slingshot itself towards Bennu, a maneuver known as a gravity assist.

Once the spacecraft finally reached Bennu, the episode takes viewers through the nail-biting process of selecting a suitable site to collect the sample. The team analyzed high-resolution images of the asteroid's surface to identify a location that was safe and free of large boulders. The spacecraft's robot arm then reached out and touched the surface of the asteroid, firing a burst of nitrogen gas to agitate and collect a sample of surface material.

The episode then follows the spacecraft's journey back to Earth as it travels for over two years, covering more than 200 million miles, carrying the precious sample from Bennu. The team at NASA meticulously planned the spacecraft's re-entry and landing, ensuring that the sample capsule would land safely in a designated area in the Utah desert.

Overall, To the Asteroid Bennu and Back is a fascinating episode that highlights the incredible achievements of NASA and its dedicated team of scientists and engineers. Viewers get an inside look at the complexities of space travel and the incredible technology that enables us to explore our solar system. The OSIRIS-REx mission is a testament to human ingenuity and our unquenchable thirst for knowledge and understanding of the world around us.