New release: The OSIRIS-REx Spectral Analysis bundle, containing the derived spectral products produced by the OVIRS and OTES instruments, has been released as certified pending final PDS4 validation. All liens have been resolved. Release date: Sept. 25, 2024.
Access the OSIRIS-REx Spectral Analysis bundle here.
Official Mission Web Page: OSIRIS REx Web Page
The OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer) mission is designed to return a sample of material from near-Earth carbonaceous asteroid Bennu. OSIRIS-REx launched in September 2016 and will carry out Bennu orbit operations from December 2018 through around March 2021. It will sample the asteroid in July 2020 and return the sample to Earth in September 2023. Along with returning a sample, it will map the asteroid and measure non-gravitational forces on the orbit.
urn:nasa:pds:context:investigation:mission.orex
1.1
| Mission phase | Start date | End date | Phase Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch | 09‑16‑2016 | 09‑16‑2016 | The initial launch of the OSIRIS REx spacecraft |
| Outbound Cruise | 9-16-2016 | 08-13-2018 | The Outbound Cruise trajectory includes a one-year Earth-to-Earth trajectory and one large Deep Space Maneuver. The earth flyby date was September 22nd 2017 |
| Approach | 08-13-2018 | 12-03-2018 | The spacecraft began observing Bennu in June 2018, when the asteroid was just bright enough for detection by PolyCam. The objective of these first observations was to begin surveying the operational environment, Characterizing Bennu Point-Source Properties and begin preliminary shape model development. |
| Preliminary Survey | 12-03-2018 | 12-27-2018 | Preliminary Survey consisted of three hyperbolic trajectories that crossed over the North and South poles and the equator. The objectives of this phase were to take scientific measurements of Bennu's mass as well as obtain LIDAR altimetry and optical imaging data. |
| Orbit A | 12-27-2018 | 02‑22‑2019 | The spacecraft was placed into a 1.5-km orbit, beginning the Orbit-A Phase. During this phase, the FDS team transitioned from star-based to landmark optical navigation. Official orbit insertion occurred on December 31st 2018. |
| Detailed Survey | 02-22-2019 | 06‑08‑2019 | The Detailed Survey Phase, required multiple hyperbolic passes of Bennu to obtain the wide range of viewing angles necessary to characterize the asteroid's global properties.The imaging and LIDAR data obtained allowed for the creation of a 35cm shape model. In addition the detailed survey phase also collected many spectra data products. |
| Orbit B | 06-08-2019 | 08-05-2019 | The spacecraft entered a close orbit around Bennu. The primary science activities during this phase were the radio science experiment, shape modeling and topographic measurements based on OLA ranging, and the surveying of potential sample sites |
| Orbit C | 08-05-2019 | 09-09-2019 | This phase of the mission was added after arrival at Bennu to provide additional observations of the sampling sites. |
| Reconnaissance Phase | 10-28-2019 | 01-06-2020 | In this phase the primary and secondary sampling sites were determined. These two sites were the target of a series of low-altitude reconnaissance observations. The reconnaissance data was key to developing the site-specific safety, sample-ability, and science value maps at local scales. |
| Rehearsal | 03-30-2020 | 09-21-2020 | This phase includes the TAG (Touch-and-go) sample collection rehearsal. The first rehearsal exercised the period from departure to a predefined"Checkpoint" before returning to orbit. The second rehearsal took the spacecraft from orbit to a "Matchpoint," where the spacecraft achieved a hovering state over the desired sampling location before a return to orbit. |
| Sample Acquisition | 09-21-2020 | 11-23-2020 | This phase of the mission included the successful TAG sample acquisition attempt. Also included in this phase was the TAG event reconstruction and sample stowing procedure. |
| Return Cruise | 03-01-2021 | 09-01-2023 | Nominal departure for Earth will commence with a burn in March 3rd 2021 that places the spacecraft on a ballistic trajectory for Earth return in September 2023. During the Return Cruise phase the team will compile all remote-sensing data and map products to constrain the nature and history of geologic material on the surface of Bennu and its dynamical history and orbital evolution. |