Asteroid & Comet Missions

Latest about Asteroid & Comet Missions

workers unload a silver crate from a plane and put it in the back of a truck.

OSIRIS-REx's asteroid sample lands in Houston (photos)

By Mike Wall published

The asteroid sample collected by NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft landed in Houston today (Sept. 25), a day after arriving on Earth from very deep space.

Asteroid & Comet Missions
a man walks through the desert pumping his hand in the air

'I literally broke into tears': The scientist leading NASA's epic OSIRIS-REx asteroid mission just had the greatest day ever

By Brett Tingley published

As his spacecraft was hurtling toward Earth carrying irreplaceable asteroid samples from deep space, Dante Lauretta was just trying to avoid having a breakdown in front of an international audience.

Asteroid & Comet Missions
A spacecraft fires thrusters near an asteroid in artist's depiction

After NASA's epic OSIRIS-REx capsule landing success, spacecraft heads to asteroid Apophis on new mission

By Andrew Jones published

NASA's OSIRIS-REx probe, which delivered samples of the space rock Bennu to Earth, is now on an extended voyage to study the infamous near-Earth asteroid Apophis.

Asteroid & Comet Missions
an image showing liftoff of osiris rex from asteroid bennu with gray boulders in behind the spacecraft

OSIRIS-REx: A complete guide to the asteroid-sampling mission

By Nola Taylor Tillman last updated

Reference The OSIRIS-REx asteroid-sampling mission delivered pieces of asteroid Bennu to Earth on Sept. 24, 2023, before moving on to study asteroid Apophis in 2029.

Reference
a space capsule sits on Earth as people cheer in an inset

NASA's OSIRIS-REx lands samples of asteroid Bennu to Earth after historic 4-billion-mile journey

By Brett Tingley last updated

NASA successfully recovered a capsule containing samples of asteroid Bennu taken by its OSIRIS-REx spacecraft in 2020.

Asteroid & Comet Missions
Scientists take a closer look at the OSIRIS-REx capsule.

NASA's OSIRIS-REx capsule just landed with samples of asteroid Bennu. Next stop: Texas

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

Hey NASA, you've just landed your first samples from an asteroid! Where are they going next? Houston, of course.

Asteroid & Comet Missions
a spacecraft zooms towards Earth

Watch NASA's OSIRIS-REx asteroid probe approach Earth in this free telescope video

By Robert Lea last updated

The Virtual Telescope Project will point its telescopes towards NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft on Sept. 23 as it approaches Earth to return a sample of the asteroid Bennu.

Asteroid & Comet Missions
a cone-shaped capsule flies through space just above Earth's atmosphere

NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft releases asteroid sample capsule toward Earth in flyby, heads to Apophis

By Tariq Malik published

The first asteroid samples ever collected by NASA are closing in on Earth for a historic landing in Utah today (Sept. 24).

Asteroid & Comet Missions
a woman in a baseball cap examines a mock sample-return capsule in a desert landscape.

OSIRIS-REx probe will bring pristine asteroid samples to Earth today. Watch it live

By Mike Wall last updated

NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission is set to deliver its asteroid sample to Earth on Sunday morning (Sept. 24), and you can watch the historic action live.

Asteroid & Comet Missions
Scientists have created a detailed topological map of asteroid Bennu.

How NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission will help protect Earth against asteroid Bennu and its flyby in 2182

By Tereza Pultarova published

Asteroid Bennu is the space rock with the highest known probability of hitting Earth in the next 200 years. NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission will help us protect ourselves.

Asteroid & Comet Missions
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Archives