OSIRIS-REx Touches Asteroid Bennu

NASA’s Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft unfurled its robotic arm Oct. 20, 2020, and in a first for the agency, briefly touched an asteroid to collect dust and pebbles from the surface for delivery to Earth in 2023. This well-preserved, ancient asteroid, known as Bennu, is currently more than 200 million miles (321 million kilometers) from Earth. Bennu offers scientists a window into the early solar system as it was first taking shape billions of years ago and flinging ingredients that could have helped seed life on Earth. Music: “Event Horizon“ by Jochen Reinhold Flach, via Universal Production Music Video credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center James Tralie (ADNET): Lead Producer Lead Editor Kel Elkins (USRA): Visualizer Adriana Manrique Gutierrez (USRA): Animator Walt Feimer (KBRwyle): Animator Michael Lentz (USRA): Art Director Erin Morton (The University of Arizona): Support Nancy Neal-Jones (NASA/GSFC): Support Aaron E. Lepsch (ADNET): Technical Support This video is public domain and along with other supporting visualizations can be downloaded from NASA Goddard’s Scientific Visualization Studio at: If you liked this video, subscribe to the NASA Goddard YouTube channel: Follow NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center · Instagram · Twitter · Twitter · Facebook: · Flickr